Family of Texas Motorcycle Accident Victim Calls for Ban on Texting While Driving
The family of a motorcycle accident victim in Montgomery County is calling for a ban on texting while driving in the state of Texas. In March, Splendora-resident Douglas Allen Jr. was killed when the motorcycle he was riding, was struck by a car. The motorist Jonathan Porter, was apparently reading a text message on his cell phone at the time of the crash. Porter didn’t stick around after the accident. He fled on foot, and turned himself in the next day. Allen’s family is now campaigning for a ban on texting while driving.
This wasn’t the only cell phone-related accident that came to the attention of Texas personal injury lawyers recently. In October, a Houston woman was found guilty of criminally negligent homicide for her role in a fatal accident in 2008. The woman was talking on her cell phone when she struck the victim’s car, fatally injuring him.
Currently, Texas laws ban the use of cell phones in school zones, and also for teen motorists under the age of 17. But, there is no statewide ban on text messaging or the use of hand held cell phones while driving. Currently, 6 states ban the use of hand held cell phones while driving. Nineteen states and the District of Columbia have a ban on text messaging while driving. No state has a complete ban on cell phone use by all motorists behind the wheel.
In the absence of a ban on text messaging and hand held cell phone use, Texas personal injury lawyers would advise greater restraint behind the wheel. A study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute earlier this year showed that drivers, who were text messaging behind the wheel, were up to 23 more times more likely to be involved in a crash. The risk from text messaging is actually greater than the risk from having a conversation on the cell phone while driving. That’s because texting requires you to take your hands off the wheel and your eyes off the road for a few seconds at a time. This increases the risk of a potentially serious crash.
Automakers have been quick to pick up on the public concern about the dangers of texting while driving. Voice-activated communications systems, like Ford’s Sync allow you to dial a number or have a text message read out to you, without using your hands or taking your eyes off the road. For those who find it impossible to switch off their cell phones while behind the wheel, these devices could help decrease the risk of an accident.
If you have questions about your rights after an auto accident, or are having trouble dealing with insurance companies after a car crash, contact a Texas personal injury attorney at the Kahn Law Firm at 73-226-9900 or toll free at 1-877-226-9940.
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