Each year, 21 percent of fatal car crashes involving teenage drivers between the ages of 16 and 19 were the result of cell phone usage.  This result is expected to grow as much as four percent every year.

In lieu of these alarming numbers and after making six previous attempts to pass legislation limiting drivers’ cell phone use, state lawmakers in Missouri finally succeeded in the last session.  On July 9, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon signed a new law that makes sending, reading, and writing text messages while driving against the law for people 21-years-old and younger.As auto accident attorneys, we believe that it is best use your cellpohne before or after you are driving an automobile — NEVER DURING!  While talking on the cell phone while driving is bad enough, car drivers that send text messages are even worse.  In fact, drivers that send text messages are more likely to get in an auto accident than a drunk driver!

With that in mind, Missouri is now the 15th state in the U.S. to ban text messaging.  This year alone, eight new states have passed broad texting while driving bans — the newest to the list, Oregon.  The new Oregon law goes into effect January 1, 2010.

A study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Motorists found that motorists who use cell phones while driving are four times more likely to get into car crashes serious enough to personally injure themselves.

Driving is a skill that requires your full attention to safely control your car and respond to events happening on the roads around you.  Driving involves constant and complex coordination between your vision, mind and body.  Events or things, such as texting, that prevent you from operating your car safely are driver distractions — the top cause of car accidents.  Many people think that driver distractions need to have the same preventions put in place as those against drunk driving.

As auto accident lawyers, we understand the dangers of using a cell phone while driving only too much.  Because it draws driver’s attentions away from the road, we believe that an absolute cell phone ban while driving is much safer and more practical for everyone on the road.  And if you must use your cell phone, it is 100 percent safer if you pull over to a safe location and park to use it.

If your phone rings or a text message arrives while you are driving, is it worth grabbing if it might potentially cause a car accident?

Call us now at 1-858-551-2090 or click here for a FREE CONSULTATION with an experienced auto accident attorney and find out how we can help you.  We speak English and Spanish, and we look forward to providing advice for your case.  No Fee If No Recovery.