Texting While Driving Kills More Teens Than Drinking While Driving
A recent study from the Cohen Children's Medical Center, in New York, has confirmed what we already feared; texting while driving kills more teens each year than drinking and driving. With the explosion of mobile technology - some of you may be reading this on your smartphones right now - has also come an explosion of distracted driving. It is estimated that this year 3,000 teens will die and 300,000 will be injured as a result of texting while driving. Contrast that with drinking and driving which will kill 2,700 and injure 282,000 teens.
It is easy to see how we got here; texting seems innocuous while drinking and driving is heinous. Virtually everyone has a cell phone or smartphone and texting seem to have become the predominant form of communication. I am always amazed (even at myself) that we seem to text much more than talk directly on the phone. Mobile technology and communication is here to stay; therefore, we must learn to effectively and safely manage its use in our daily lives.
The only way to combat this problem is through education. Much like the successful MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers) program of the '80s, concerted efforts must be made to educate teens and adults alike, of the dangers of distracted driving. Culturally, we must shift our relationship with mobile technology and accept that texting (or surfing the internet) wild driving is heinous, as heinous as drinking and driving.
At Mani Ellis & Layne, PLLC, we have prosecuted numerous cases where texting while driving resulted in a motor vehicle collision. There are several keys to proving that a driver was inappropriately and illegally texting while driving. We know where to send the subpoenas and how to evaluate the evidence of distracted driving. In fact, I am currently handling a case involving a high-speed, head-on collision on a major highway which involves distracted driving. Unfortunately, my client was grievously injured and has spent months in the hospital and will be rehabilitating for months, if not years, to come. In my experience, the injuries which stem from texting while driving related accidents are worse (perhaps due to higher speeds?) than from those who are simply not paying attention as well as they should.
If you have been injured in a car wreck, call Mani Ellis & Layne, PLLC. We will help you recover the compensation you need and deserve.
At Mani Ellis & Layne, PLLC, it's not just business...it's personal.