Cell Phone Car Accidents

Regular readers of this blog are very familiar with our state’s lack of cell phone legislation for drivers. They are also very familiar with Orlando personal injury attorney James O. Cunningham’s stance on this issue. He prefers a zero tolerance policy on cell phone use of any kind while driving and encourages state lawmakers to take decisive action on this issue to save lives. Currently, there are no state laws against texting, surfing the internet or making calls on cell phones while driving. Further, Florida does not allow communities to enact legislation against distracted cell phone driving.

Recently, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommended that all states impose total bans on cell phone use while driving, except in cases of emergency. Yet, in spite of clear evidence illustrating the dangers of talking and texting while behind the wheel, many law enforcement officials take a dim view of the NTSB recommendation.

One such dissenter is St. Johns County Sheriff David Shoar, who, while admitting that texting while driving is “a killer,” does not support a national ban on cell phone use while driving.

“I think it can be handled at the state level,” he said.

Sadly, Florida lawmakers have repeatedly killed cell phone legislation in committee, and this reticence is taking a serious toll on the lives of Floridians. The Florida Highway Patrol recently conducted a study on cell phone use by drivers, and their findings are consistent with other studies conducted across the country. The FHP found that drivers who talk on their phones while driving are four times more likely to be involved in an accident. They found that cell phone use was the primary contributing factor in seven fatal auto accidents in our state in 2010, citing instances where talking or texting was definitely the cause of the accident.

They freely admit that their findings are very conservative and that cell phone use is very likely the cause of many more accidents and fatalities. FHP Lt. Bill Leeper cited the difficulties of singling out cell phone use in auto accidents.

“A lot of times, you can’t prove it,” he said. However, he said that he expected the problem to worsen in the coming months and years, saying, “It is increasingly becoming an issue because of the numbers of people who have cell phones.”

“Texting is even more dangerous,” he said.

Florida may not yet have laws against cell phone use on the books, but people injured by distracted drivers still have legal options. With the help of experienced, aggressive Orlando personal injury lawyers such as Mr. Cunningham, they can seek damages against negligent drivers and get the fair and just compensation they deserve. To schedule a free consultation with Mr. Cunningham, call 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000 today.

Regular readers of this blog are very familiar with the sad story of Heather Hurd. Heather was an Orlando resident who was killed when the driver of a tractor-trailer who was texting on his cell phone while driving slammed into her car and eight others on a Florida highway four years ago. Since then, her parents, Orlando personal injury lawyers and many thousands of concerned Floridians have asked lawmakers to pass tough laws against cell phone use while driving with little success. Heather’s parents, Kim and Russell Hurd, who live in Maryland, have taken a proactive stance against drivers who talk and text while driving.

They recently created the Heather L. Hurd 5K Walk/Run, an annual fundraiser to help students at Harford Community College, their daughter’s alma mater. The event also helps raise awareness about the dangers of cell phone use while behind the wheel so that other parents don’t have to endure the heartbreak of losing a child to a distracted driver.

“Nothing can change our grief, but maybe through our activism we can spare another family an eternal heartache,” Russell Hurd said. “Heather’s Law was born that day. The bill did not pass that year, but we became real pests.”

The couple’s persistence paid off two years after their daughter’s death when the Maryland legislature passed cell phone legislation. Not satisfied, the couple continues to campaign for even tougher restriction on cell phone use behind the wheel and plans to expand the annual walk/run for the foreseeable future. They believe that their efforts help them while they help other people.

“The grief never goes away, but organizing this event and raising awareness can be therapeutic,” Kim Hurd said.

According to recent statistics compiled by the National Transportation Safety Administration, talking and texting on cell phones while driving causes more than 5,000 fatal auto accidents each year and injures at least 500,000 people. If you or a close family member has been injured in a cell phone car accident and you would like to speak with an Orlando personal injury attorney, call James O. Cunningham today at 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000 to schedule a free consultation. Mr. Cunningham is a fierce advocate for accident victims’ rights and uses his skills and experience as a cell phone car accident lawyer to help victims receive the fair and just compensation they deserve.

America’s state governments are now getting help from the federal government agencies in cracking down on drivers who use cell phones while behind the wheel.

Recent reports indicate federal groups are lending support to a “distracted driving” campaign aimed at limiting the use of cell phones on the road and advertising strict policies about talking or texting while driving in many states.
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