Safety Group Urges Complete Ban on Phoning and Driving
The National Safety Council called Jan. 12 for a complete nationwide ban on using cell phones while driving, CNN reported. The organization, a nonprofit coalition of businesses and insurance companies formed by Congressional charter, cited studies showing that using a phone quadruples a driver's risk of being in an accident, causing 2,600 deaths, 12,000 serious injuries and $43 billion in costs every year. Comparing the practice to driving drunk, the council sent letters to every state legislature and governor, urging them to pass laws banning all cell phone use behind the wheel.
The call comes on the heels of a recent University of Utah study concluding that drivers talking on hands-free headsets drove substantially less well than drivers talking with passengers. In fact, the NSC cited the Utah study in arguing that hands-free headsets are no better than handsets. In response, CTIA, a wireless industry organization, pointed out that phones are just one of a number of driver distractions that can cause accidents, suggesting that they were being unfairly singled out.
As a Fort Lauderdale auto accident lawyer, I believe they're both right. Studies consistently show that distracted driving is dangerous, whether that distraction is staring at an accident, eating a sandwich or sleepiness. Drivers should be more aware of all of those potential dangers. What makes cell phones different, and worthy of singling out, is the fact that they are everywhere. The CNN article says 90 percent of Americans have phones, and 81 percent admit to using them while driving. Those numbers are so high that it makes sense to make cell phones a priority when making safety laws.
Car, truck and motorcycle accidents cause thousands of deaths each year in Florida alone and tens of thousands of serious injuries, including traumatic brain injuries, amputations, paralysis and other lifelong disabilities. If you or someone you love is a victim of this type of serious accident and it was caused by someone else's carelessness, you have the right to hold them legally and financially responsible for their actions. For a free consultation with Cohn, Smith & Cohn's experienced Coral Springs auto accident lawyers, please contact us through our Web site.
