Sheriff’s Deputy Cited After Florida Car Accident for Using a Laptop While Driving
A Jacksonville police officer was issued a citation for her role in an accident with a truck in Jacksonville, the Jacksonville Times-Union reported March 9. Officer Amanda Meyer ran her cruiser into a truck that had stopped before crossing railroad tracks, causing injuries to her left arm but not to the truck’s driver. A FHP spokesperson said Meyer had glanced at a laptop mounted in the cruiser before the accident. Her citation will cost her $149 and four points on her driver’s license.
As a Hollywood auto accident attorney, I have written here several times about problems with cell phones, one of the most common distractions to drivers (though certainly not the only one). Most of us don’t compute while we drive, so laptops aren’t a widespread problem -- except for law enforcement. Law enforcement officers frequently have laptops mounted right in their vehicles, which helps them run checks, do paperwork, collect digital pictures of crime scenes and find places using GPS technology. This is a great boon to officers whose cars serve as a second (or first) office.
But just like civilian drivers, law enforcement officers have a responsibility to make sure the technology doesn’t create deadly driving distractions. Judging by the number of cell phone-related accidents I encounter in my work as a Fort Lauderdale car crash lawyer, not all civilians are good at this. Law enforcement officers, who see the terrible results of car wrecks every day, may be better.
Car crashes cause deaths and serious, sometimes permanent, disabilities such as brain damage, paralysis and severe burns. Studies show that driver distractions are the number-one cause of car accidents. If you or someone you love has been hurt by a driver who was paying more attention to a phone, laptop or other distraction than the road, you have the right to hold that person legally responsible for the results. Cohn, Smith & Cohn can help. To set up a free, confidential consultation on a South Florida car crash lawsuit, please contact us today.
