Texting and Driving

As cell phones have proliferated to become nearly ubiquitous in the United States, a lot of attention has been paid to the effects of having a phone conversation while behind the wheel. We have been flooded with studies and statistics that confirm the common-sense notion that driving and talking on the phone is not a good idea. However, a growing phenomenon and one perhaps even more dangerous involves reading and typing text messages while on the road.

As more and more business and personal interactions are conducted via texting, especially by younger generations, the prevalence of accidents caused by drivers distracted by texting is on the rise. Drivers often believe they are not at risk while stopped at a stoplight or when there are no other vehicles nearby. However, the degree to which you are distracted while texting dramatically alters your level of safety. Unlike oral conversations, texting requires not only your mental attention but also determines where you are looking. When focused on a text message, people are more or less driving blind.

In a recent example, a 22-year-old woman managed to hit a stationary emergency vehicle with its lights flashing, all because she was focused on texting instead of driving. Incidents like this have prompted many states to initiate legislative measures that would officially make driving while texting a legal offense, punishable by fines of hundreds of dollars.

Contact Us

If you have been in an auto collision that was the result of someone’s driving while texting negligence, contact the Waukesha car accident lawyers of Habush Habush & Rottier, S.C. for more information about your legal rights. Call 800-242-2874 to schedule your free initial consultation.