In January of this year the National Safety Counsel announced that they are calling for a complete ban on cell phone use while driving. The announcement is a plea to businesses, governors and legislators in all 50 states to enact laws banning the use of cell phones and messaging devices while driving.
A study from the Harvard Center of Risk Analysis estimates that cell phone use while driving contributes to 6 percent of crashes, which equates to 636,000 crashes, 330,000 injuries, 12,000 serious injuries and 2,600 deaths each year. The study also put the annual financial toll of cell phone-related crashes at $43 billion.
As I have mentioned before, the temptation is always there to answer calls, read texts and emails and even return text messages while driving. I have stopped reading and returning emails and texts while driving and only use the speaker phone. Based on these recent studies at Harvard and Virginia Tech, I believe we will be seeing stiffer restrictions on cell phone use and messaging devices in Illinois and around the country.
To read the complete story, click here.
Call attorney Aaron Bryant for a free consultation at 312-588-3384, if you or someone you know has been involved in an accident,