Mobile Devices Responsible for Indianapolis Accidents

Mobile Devices Responsible for One Quarter of all Indianapolis, IN Car, Truck and Semi Tractor-Trailer Accident Mishaps

“Distracted Driving,” The Use of any electronic device while driving

Distracted driving is an umbrella term which defines the use of an electronic devise of any kind while driving, including but not limited to hand-held and hands-free cell phone use. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that at any moment in time the prevalence of drivers talking on their cellphones is 11%. According to The National Safety Council (NSC), approximately 25% of all auto and trucking accidents in 2008 involved a driver talking on the cell phone.

Unconscious Driving

It would seem that innovative technologies designed to make our lives easier have instead stepped-up the pressure to increase productivity, making it tempting to use our cell phones while driving from place to place. We call this multi-tasking. But in fact, science shows that the brain is not wired to process more than one task at a time. Instead, thought activities are handled in sequence or succession. Incoming information to the brain is filtered for action and encoding; too much information, i.e. more than can be processed, is filtered out. Since we cannot consciously choose which information is encoded and which is filtered out, this becomes of greatest concern when “multi-tasking” behind the wheel of a car or a commercial truck in motion. In other words, a natural lapse in critical data may be the impetus for a tragic accident or fatality. According to the National Safety Council, estimates indicate drivers using cell phones look, but fail to see, up to 50% of the information in their driving environment. Have you ever had a conversation while driving and after arriving at your destination, you don’t remember the drive at all?

Fatality Statistics for Distracted Drivers

The official U.S. Government website for distracted driving states:  “In 2009 alone, nearly 5,500 people were killed and 450,000 more were injured in distracted driving crashes.”

Texting While Driving

Many states have enacted laws against texting behind the wheel. Effective July 1^st, 2011, Indiana passed legislation (IC 9-21-8-59) making it illegal to text, receive a text or read a text while driving a motorized vehicle unless the device is equipped with voice-operated technology; an emergency call to 911 being the exception. However, a sub-section of the same legislation forbids officers to confiscate the texting device to determine compliance or as evidence to be used against the driver in Court; the latter section making it difficult, if not impossible, to enforce the ban on texting.

Commercial Motor Vehicles, Trucks are Regulated

Under the commerce clause of the Constitution, legislators recently passed federal laws banning commercial truck and bus drivers from using hand-held devices while driving. It is likely that in the future commercial carriers will be equipped with devices that can read incoming texts aloud and send out voice-activated texts.

The National Safety Council sees the ban on hand-held devices as only a partial cure to the existing problem since hand’s free devices do not remove the issue of cognitive distraction. How does phone conversation differ from conversation with a passenger? NSC believes that a passenger shares the driving experience and can suppress conversation under challenging conditions whereas the suppression of conversation on a cell phone may be considered rude. In an AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety survey, 83 percent of respondents said drivers using cell phones are a “serious” or “extremely serious” problem, yet
more than half of the respondents stated they had engaged in this behavior in the last 30 days. Participants to the survey saw the problem of cell phone use as only slightly less of an issue than driving under the influence of alcohol.

At this time, the NSC seeks to inform and change behavior voluntarily through education and self-discipline. But in the future I would anticipate that as support grows for legislation banning the use of hands-free devices, states will begin to fall in line on this issue.

Wrongful Death Attorneys Subpoena Phone Records from Truck Drivers and Trucking Companies

Accidents involving commercial trucks or semi tractor-trailers require an extensive knowledge of commercial codes, federal legislation and state laws. If you’ve recently lost a loved one due to a commercial driver’s negligence, the compassionate wrongful death attorneys in Indianapolis, IN at Ward & Ward have extensive experience in commercial carrier claims and can help ensure that you do not suffer needless financial distress in addition to mourning your tragic loss. The law firm of Ward & Ward has over 80 years of combined experience in wrongful death claims, auto accident, motorcycle accident, trucking accident, and injuries associated with semi tractor-trailer accidents. Ward & Ward Law Firm invites you to contact them as soon as possible to arrange a FREE initial consultation about your case, by phone at 317-639-9501, through their website at wardlawfirm.com, or simply by visiting their conveniently-located downtown Indianapolis office. If we decide your case has merit, you won’t be charged unless we recover damages on your behalf.

Charlie Ward

cpw@wardlawfirm.com

Website: https://wardlawfirm.com