The Barnes Firm

Enforcing the Law

• May 9, 2016
• Sandy

LOS ANGELES – Anyone who’s been behind the wheel of a vehicle knows how dangerous texting and driving can be. It takes your eyes off the road, and it pulls your mind away from the task at hand.

This deadly combination of decreased reaction time and distraction can be linked to millions of car accidents each year. Many states, including California, have enacted laws to make texting and driving illegal, but there’s a problem.

Enforcing these laws can be challenging.

In the past, California drivers found a loophole in the law which prohibited drivers from using a handheld device to “write, send, or read a text-based communication” while behind the wheel. Since the wording was very specific, officers couldn’t cite many distracted offenders who were browsing the internet or using GPS on their phones.

This year, police have more authority after the ban was amended to prohibit drivers from “holding and operating” any handheld device while driving.

This small revision now gives police more authority, but enforcing this law is still a difficult challenge. Spotting a texting driver isn’t easy – it takes a trained eye, and police say many violators have become ‘sneaky’ about it, hiding their phones out of sight from potential law officers.

However, texting and driving is dangerous, and if a distracted driver causes a car crash, authorities can dive into your phone records and determine whether or not your smartphone was being used at the time of the accident. If it was, a driver can face hefty fines – and even jail time.

Perhaps one day, the law won’t need enforcement. Maybe someday soon, your smartphone simply won’t operate while in the driver’s seat. Yes, there’s already a patent for that.

IF YOU’VE BEEN HURT BY A DISTRACTED DRIVER

According to the National Safety Council, cell phone use has been linked to over 1.5 million crashes each year. Many of these accidents hurt or kill innocent drivers and passengers. Sadly, these injuries and fatalities could have been prevented.

If you or a loved one was involved in a car crash, and you suspect the other driver may have been distracted, the Los Angeles car accident lawyers at The Barnes Firm can launch a complete investigation and request mobile records for handheld devices.

In many cases, proving a driver was distracted can help maximize the value of a personal injury claim, and our Los Angeles car accident attorneys aim to get their clients the best result possible.

When your family has been impacted by a distracted driver, the pain and heartache is bad enough. Adding insult to injury, medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses associated with accidents can be costly, but an experienced Los Angeles car accident attorney can help you recover these costs, and bring distracted drivers to justice.

Contact a Los Angeles car accident lawyer at The Barnes Firm today for a free case evaluation.

The Barnes Firm 1-(800) 800-0000