Text Messaging and Cell Phone Use Take Center Stage At Distracted Driving Summit
The second day of the US Department of Transportation’s Distracted Driving Summit is underway. Over 250 safety experts, lawmakers, industry representatives, and members of the public have come together to explore ways to end distracted driving. As US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood noted yesterday, every time a person takes their eyes off the road or talks on a cell phone, lives are placed at risk.
While distracted driving is not a new bad habit—people have found ways to distract themselves while on the road for years—the cell phone and text messaging era has turned distracted driving into a “menace to society," noted LaHood. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that distracted driving can be cited as a factor in 5,780 traffic deaths—that’s 16% of all motor vehicle deaths—and 515,000 auto injuries. In 2007, distracted driving was cited as a cause in 12% of all US traffic deaths.
Our Chicago injury law firm represents clients and the families of loved ones who died in car accidents, truck crashes, pedestrian accidents, motorcycle collisions, bus crashes, train accidents, and bicycle crashes throughout Will County, Cook County, Lake County, DuPage County, and the other counties of Illinois. We have represented many people whose lives were wrecked because another motorist was distracted behind the wheel.
More Distracted Driving Facts:
• According to the National Safety Council, on any day last year, over 800,000 drivers had conversations on handheld cell phones while driving.
• From the University of Utah: A person who is talking on any kind of cell phone has a delayed reaction time equivalent to a person whose blood alcohol concentration is .08%--the legal driving limit.
• Carnegie Mellon reports that brain activity linked to driving goes down by 37% when someone uses a cell phone and drives.
There is no excuse for distracted driving and tragedy can ensue. A person injured in a cell phone accident or text messaging crash can be held liable for Chicago personal injury or wrongful death.
Distracted Driving Summit Continues in the U.S., The Gov Monitor, October 1, 2009
Govt: Nearly 6,000 deaths from driver distraction, AP/Google, October 1, 2009
Related Web Resources:
Distracted Driving, Cyberdrive Illinois
Distracted Driving Summit, US Department of Transportation

