Northern California Accident Attorney Blog

As the California Highway Patrol and other agencies launch their zero-tolerance enforcement period this week for texting and other cell phone use while driving, the San Francisco Bay Area is the center point of the campaign. A San Francisco Chronicle article reports that officers will be looking specifically for drivers violating California's hands-free cell phone law and issuing tickets.

The cell phone crackdown was initiated because not enough drivers have stopped using hand-held cell phones either to text or talk while driving, in spite of laws banning these actions that went into effect two years ago. According to the article, State Senator Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, is currently advocating for increased fines for motorists who violate the hands-free law. The proposed bill, SB28, would raise the fine for first-time offenders by $30 and by $50 for any additional violations. These hikes would put the complete ticket costs between $159 and $279. Many other Californians would agree with Simitian in his claim that the fines as they stand now have not been high enough to deter motorists from driving distracted while using their cell phones.

The article reports that cell phone patrols led to approximately 20 citations in just two days in South San Francisco. In addition, a Tiburon Police Department Sergeant stated that his officers present more citations for unlawful cell phone use than any other traffic violation.

The recent intolerance of texting and other cell phone use while driving is not about the cops being "out to get you." They are trying to save your life and the lives of all others by helping to prevent San Francisco cell phone car accidents. For far too many motorists on the road, texting or using a hand-held device while driving has become a bad habit. But it's more than that. It's a major safety risk. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) noted that for the year 2009, 18 percent of fatalities and 5 percent of injured individuals in distracted driving-related motor vehicle accidents throughout the United States involved reports of a cell phone as the distraction.

Individuals who have suffered serious injury and family members of loved ones killed in San Francisco auto crashes caused by a distracted driver have legal rights and may be able to obtain compensation from negligent parties. A San Francisco distracted driving lawyer will ensure that your rights are protected so that you and your family can receive the justice you deserve.

Continue reading "San Francisco at Center of this Week's Texting and Cell Phones Use While Driving Zero-Tolerance Enforcement Period" »

The Fresno Bee reports that Fresno State will be holding a Symposium series led by Roger Tatarian to address the many dangers of distracted driving, particularly motorists' use of cell phones while behind the wheel.

The Department of Mass Communications and Journalism is sponsoring the discussion about the consequences of technology addiction experienced by drivers. According to the article, research has shown that the overuse of electronics, including cell phones, reaches all age groups. However, societal pressure to incessantly keep in touch with peers has put teens and college-age adults at more risk of being distracted while driving or while carrying out other tasks throughout their day.

The chair of the Mass Communication and Journalism Department stated, "We are becoming a society that is obsessed with our cell phones. Until people are directly impacted or something happens to wake them up, that's the only way that they're going to stop."

In California, motorists are banned from talking on hand-held devices and texting while driving. Unfortunately, however, both of these actions are still frequently being carried out, leading to serious auto accidents in Fresno and throughout the state.

NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts On Distracted Driving
According to data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2009, 5,474 people lost their lives in the United States and an additional 448,000 suffered injury in motor vehicle accidents that were reported to have involved distracted driving. Of those individuals who were killed in distracted-driving-related collisions, 995 involved reports of cell phone as a distraction.

The NHTSA also notes that 16% of all drivers younger than 20 involved in fatal accidents were reported to have been distracted while driving. Considering that the age group with the highest proportion of distracted drivers was the "under-20 age group", promoted symposiums and discussions are events that college campuses may want to strongly consider to help spread the word about the dangers of distracted driving.

As one of eight states with a ban on all drivers using hand-held cell phones while driving and one state out of 30 that outlaws driving while texting, California has taken a major step. However, some research has indicated that the actual rate of texting while driving has increased since legislation passed in 2009.

After A Car Accident
Anyone who has been in a car accident knows that it can often be a stressful experience. The aftermath of an auto accident is even more challenging when an individual must cope with recovering from serious injuries and mounting medical bills. If you have been injured in a Fresno car crash that was caused by a distracted driver or a motorist who was texting while driving, a Fresno cell phone accident lawyer will do everything possible to protect your rights and help you obtain the compensation you deserve from negligent parties.

Continue reading "Fresno State Hosts Symposium Series about Dangers of Distracted Driving" »