I’ve been following the debate about driving and cell phones for a while, now. It seems as though people can’t decide whether or not using a hands-free device is any safer than actually holding the phone while driving, though statistics are starting to tell us that it’s not.
One thing I thought we would all agree on is that texting while driving is certainly even less safe than chatting on the phone while driving. Yet it seems that only fourteen states have bans on texting while driving. Hard to believe, especially since new research shows that a trucker’s risk of collision rises 23 fold when the driver is texting. In fact, the New York Times reports that “in the moments before a crash or near crash, drivers typically spent nearly five seconds looking at their devices — enough time at typical highway speeds to cover more than the length of a football field.” Really.
So if your common sense wasn’t enough to tell you not to drive and text, let these new statistics convince you. Drive safely!
Andy Gillin received his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of California at Berkeley and his law degree from the University of Chicago. He is the managing partner of GJEL Accident Attorneys and has written and lectured in the field of plaintiffs’ personal injury law for numerous organizations. Andy is a highly recognized wrongful death lawyer in California.