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Washington DC Association of Justice 
Car Accidents and Cell Phones
Cellular phones are convenient, but they can be dangerous when they are used while driving. The use of cell phones not only demands a hand that could be used on the steering wheel or clutch, it also takes attention away from the road, particularly when a driver is text messaging. Currently, 9 states and Washington D.C. ban cell phone use while driving entirely, and another 30 states ban their use by drivers under the age of 18. Text messaging while driving is banned in 34 states, with another 7 banning its use among minors while driving.
The combination of cell phones and cars can be a deadly one, and more states and communities are becoming aware of this fact. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the number of crashes caused by drivers on cell phones have decreased, as a proportion of fewer crashes involving distracted drivers. Drivers talking or texting constitute the majority of distracted drivers.
In 2009, there were around 5,500 fatalities caused by distracted drivers, marking a decrease from 2008, where they claimed the lives of almost 5,900 people. The actual number of crashes dropped by six percent, from 5,300 down to 4,900 accidents. Distracted driving played a role in around 15 percent of crashes in both years, however. There were about 448,000 people injured in 2009 as a result of distracted driving, which marks a 4 percent decrease. These lower numbers are likely due to the positive effects of cell phone and texting bans being implemented in an increasing number of states, although the enormity of these numbers shows that these bans are not going far enough in protecting the American people.
If you or a loved one has been in an accident where cell phone use played a part, you deserve to know your rights in this situation and have experienced legal representation. If you are a resident of Virginia or Washington D.C., please click here to contact us today. Our law firm has extensive experience with cases involving cell phone use while driving, and we can help.