Cell Phone - Texting

Cell phone usage and texting while driving - Distracted driving is a major cause of serious and fatal motor-vehicle crashes each year

In 2012, 3,328 people were killed in crashes involving a distracted driver.  One of the most alarming and widespread forms of distracted driving is cell phone usage.  According to a Carnegie Mellon study, driving while using a cell phone reduces the amount of brain activity associated with driving by 37 percent.  And a report from the National Safety Council found that people talking on cell phones or sending text messages cause more than one out of every four traffic accidents.   Text messaging is of heightened concern because it combines three types of distraction – visual, manual and cognitive.  In other words, texting involves taking your eyes off the road, your hands off the wheel, and your mind off the task of driving - the ultimate form of distracted driving.

Is a distracted driver who was talking or texting on a cell phone always at fault in a collision?

Since every crash and every case is unique, and since the laws differ from state to state, anyone who has been injured in a crash with a driver who was using a cell phone should consult with a personal injury attorney who will explore the facts of the collision, collect all related documentation, and oversee an insurance claim to ensure that an injured person's rights are protected.