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301 Saint Louis St.
Mobile, AL 36602
877-336-0776
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27075 Marina Rd.
Orange Beach, AL 36561
Car Accident Lawyers
Mobile, Alabama
Cell Phone Use and Car Accidents
Did you know that a person who uses their cell phone to talk or text message while driving is more of a hazard to other drivers than a person with a .08 blood alcohol content? This is what recent studies have determined. Considering there are over 260 million active cell phone accounts in the United States - almost one cell phone per person - this is a frightening thing to think about.
Odds are good that you have used a cell phone while driving at least once. Some people are conscientious enough not to, while many more drive and use their cell phones on a regular basis. For many, it is a necessary evil of their job. Thousands of car accidents are caused by cell phone use every year and it is increasingly becoming one of the leading causes of driver distraction. Results of recent studies have found the following:
- Cell phone-using motorists are four times more likely to cause an auto accident.
- A 2007 survey by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company found that 73 percent of motorists talk on cell phones while driving and 19 percent send text messages while driving. These numbers are on the rise.
- Cell phone use by young drivers - an age group already at higher risk to cause accidents - is increasing. A recent survey of teens indicated that “texting” was the most distracting activity they engage in while driving.
Hands-free phones
Many have argued that hands-free cell phones help reduce driver distraction. This is not the case, according to some studies. Hands-free phone users still have significantly slowed reaction times. They tend to take longer to brake at stop signals and also accelerate at a slower rate. It has also been found that hands-free phone users have to redial more often, causing additional distraction.
Alabama has no law banning cell phone use while driving. In fact, as of July 2008, only California, Washington, Utah, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Washington D.C. have banned the use of hand-held cell phones while driving.
Although there is no cell phone use law on the books in Alabama, if you have been injured in a car accident that involved the other driver using a cell phone, you still may have a case. If you live in or around Mobile, Alabama and have suffered a personal injury due to a cell phone-related accident, please contact our car accident lawyers of the law firm of Long & Waite, Attorneys at Law today to schedule your confidential consultation.
