Search Results for: distracted driving

Alabama Considers New Texting Ban to Fight Increase in Distracted Driver Accidents

phone and someone textingIn a move possibly inspired by neighboring state Georgia, Alabama is considering the same type of distracted driving law implemented in July for the entire state of Georgia. This law made it illegal for drivers to hold their phone, GPS, tablet, or any device while driving—or even while the driver is stopped at a red light. Rather than being called a “no-texting” law, the proposed bill would be known as a distracted driving law, with a first offense carrying a $50 fine, adding two points to an Alabama driver’s license. A second offense would add three points to a driver’s license—the same number of points as many other driving violations, including speeding. In the state of Alabama, racking up 12-14 points on a driver’s license during a specific length of time can result in a license suspension.

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What do I do if I have been injured in a texting and driving accident?

If you've been injured in an auto accident and you believe texting and driving is involved, one of the things you want to do is speak to the investigating officer. Let him or her know that you think that the other driver may have been texting. The officer then can…

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Distracted Walking Is a Danger to Pedestrians

Distracted walking | Pedestrian Accident Lawyer | Huntsville, ALCell phones are a marvel of technology that offers the opportunity to be connected at nearly any time and in nearly any place. Just because they offer this opportunity, however, doesn’t mean that we should necessarily take it. In recent years, there has been a fair amount of public backlash over the constant use of smartphones. Over-use in public settings, like restaurants and movie theaters, has been deemed rude and obnoxious. Games have been created to reward people for not using their cell phones. (Consider the game that has restaurant guests placing their phones in the center of the table during the meal, and whoever reaches for his or her phone first pays the bill). And a recent prankster garnered millions of YouTube hits after he uploaded a video of himself “crashing” other people’s cell phone conversations in an airport.

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Don’t Want to Crash? Don’t Drive Distracted, Study Says

Driving while distracted | Car Accident LawyersIf you don’t want to crash, a new study says, don’t drive distracted. “Ok,” you think. “I’m safe. I know that distracted driving is extremely dangerous, so I don’t text while I’m driving.” Did you know, however, that the study—published in the New England Journal of Medicine­—found that almost any type of “secondary activity” distracts you?

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Should Alabama ban cellphone use when driving?

cellphone law AL - Martinson & Beason, P.C.In 2011, 3,331 Americans were killed in crashes involving a distracted driver, up from 3,267 in 2010. 387,000 people were also injured in crashes involving distracted drivers in 2011, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation. For drivers 15-19 years old in the fatal crashes, 21 percent of the distracted drivers were distracted by the use of cellphones. Do these numbers shock you? Sadly, they probably confirm what you already know: cellphone use and driving often ends poorly. Sending or receiving a text takes a driver’s eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds; at 55-mph, this is like driving the length of a football field—blind.

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Tips for Safe Summer Driving

Summer is the time for fun: warm weather, vacation time, and family trips. Unfortunately, summer is also the time for car accidents, as greater numbers of drivers take to the road. Before you and your file pile into your car, truck, or SUV, it’s important to keep safety in mind. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) offers a number of tips for staying safe on the road this summer:

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