The U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood recently recommended a federal law to ban talking or texting on a cell phone while driving. LaHood stated this at a distracted-driving summit in San Antonio. He thinks it is important for the police to be able to write tickets when people are foolishly using their phones while driving.
Last year there were 3,000 US fatalities as a result of distracted driving, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Using a cell phone and driving delays reaction time the same as having a blood alcohol concentration of .08 the legal limit, the highway agency stated. 38 states have laws restricting or outlawing the use of electronic devices while driving.
LaHood is more concerned with cell phone use than other inattentive driving habits like eating or putting on makeup, since everyone has a cell phone and many think it’s ok to use while driving.
At the summit he was accompanied by children in wheel chairs, and others who were hurt in accidents that were the result of cell phone use while driving. LaHood said these accidents were 100% preventable.
Distracted driving accidents can end in injuries, or death, but it doesn’t have to end there. If you or a loved one has been the victim of a distracted driving accident, you should contact the Law Firm of W.T. Johnson today to get the compensation you are entitled to.
