Tag Archives: distracted driving

Nevada Hosted an Alternative to Distracted Driving Tickets

It’s no secret that distracted driving has become an issue. Car accident lawyers have seen a rise in these types of cases due to texting, talking on the phone and other distractions, while driving. Many cities and states have started issuing tickets for distracted driving and they have started cracking down quite a bit.

However, the state of Nevada has decided to take a different approach. Instead of just issuing a ticket for use of a cellphone while driving, the state has started an online program to help drivers clear their record.

This program was introduced in early July and allowed Nevada Highway Patrol troopers the opportunity to offer those with clean records the chance to keep it that way. Drivers pulled over for distracted driving have to complete online tasks for 28 days in a row to avoid the fine they would pay and the black mark on their driving record.

The tasks they must complete pertain to a time when a driver was able to stay safe because they were not distracted by their cellphone. Some of the tasks include sharing a video about distracted driving on social sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, while others have the driver take a quiz about driving distracted.

This new program is called “It Can Wait for 28,” and may be adopted as a normal program throughout the state. The state has received support from the Nevada Department of Public Safety, the Clark County Justice Court and the Highway Patrol.

How Will This Program Help Keep Our Roads Safe

With distracted driving becoming a problem, the “It Can Wait for 28” program is aimed at educating offenders about this issue. Instead of just giving them a ticket, this program allows the driver to save the money they would pay on the fine and become educated about the seriousness of distracted driving.

Not only does the program help to educate the offenders, but also their friends and family. Since the program includes sharing videos about distracted driving on social media sites, it helps to spread the word to those that have yet to be caught.

If this program becomes successful, it could help everybody put their phones down, while their driving. Statistics have already shown a distracted driver is at least as bad as a drunk driver, if not worse. This is a problem and the state of Nevada is leading the way in the hunt for a solution.

Distracted Driving-Related Car Accidents Won’t Stop Unless There’s a Cultural Shift

You may find it shocking to learn that in a survey by State Farm, 57% of drivers admitted to talking on a hand-held cell phone while driving. 77% of drivers aged 18-29 admitted to the same offense.

As far as texting goes, amongst drivers aged 18-29, 69% admitted to texting while driving. Of the general population, 35% admitted to this, an increase from 31% in 2009.

But despite these high numbers, Americans don’t condone distracted driving. In fact, half of survey respondents supported imprisonment as an appropriate punishment for fatal cellphone related crashes. Three-fourths of participants strongly supported a ban on texting while driving.

Americans clearly overestimate their ability to stay focused while driving and talking on the phone or texting.

In 2013, there were over 3,000 fatalities as a result of distracted driving-related accidents.

“People recognize these things are dangerous, but they think that they themselves are good at it,” says Robert Rosenberg, an assistant professor of philosophy at the School of Public Policy at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

If Americans recognized their own distractibility and advocated against distracted driving, it would be a critical cultural shift that could prevent further distracted driving-related accidents.

Many people assume being a responsible driver means using hands-free technologies such as headsets and voice activated systems. But according to Strayer, author of a study on distracted driving for AAA’s Foundation for Traffic Safety, “There really is no difference between hand-held and hands-free.” Safety advocates are arguing that hands free communication devices still entail a degree of dangerous distractibility.

This is an emergent issue, as car companies have even begun to compete by luring customers with promises of greater, safer connectivity in their vehicles, including more cutting edge options for hands-free talking and texting.

Perhaps the greatest cultural shift of all would be curtailing our need to be continuously connected, especially while driving.

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The 6 Most Important Moments in Car Safety History (A Photo Essay)

Featured image provided by Jace

A controversial crackdown on distracted driving

When you’re in a car accident it’s expected that you’ll give the police your driver’s license and insurance information, but if a new bill proposed in New Jersey passes, you could be asked to give them something else as well: your cell phone.

The reasoning behind this legislation? To help police determine if distracted driving was the cause of the accident, particularly as a result of talking or texting while driving. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety states that police reports and eyewitness testimony aren’t all that effective in determining if distracted driving is a factor in accidents; the best way to determine this is to look at drivers’ call records and text messages.

This proposed legislation may make it easier to determine the cause of accidents, but the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey raises some serious concerns about its ramifications. Under the proposed bill, police officers would only be able to check your cell phone if they had reasonable cause to suspect you were using it at the time of the accident (and they’d have to give it back right away), but what would be considered “probable cause” in this situation? Since accidents can be caused by many things, including distractions that do not involve cell phones, the use of this legislation to check drivers’ cell phones would certainly be hotly contested by civil rights advocates and car accident lawyers alike.

The main issue at stake here is privacy. In the wake of the recent revelation that our phone calls and online activities are being monitored by the government, people are becoming more concerned with keeping their daily activities private. Since we use cell phones in all aspects of our lives, many people would be very resistant to allowing the police to look through personal texts or calls. To add further complication to the issue, what would happen if police were to come across potentially incriminating material in the phone? Would this information be legally admissible in court under the plain view doctrine, or would police only be able to address the time a phone call or text was sent?

While this kind of legislation could possibly help determine if distracted driving was involved in car accidents, it opens a whole new can of worms in terms of the legal issues it would create.

What do you think? A smart way to crackdown on distracted driving, or a violation of constitutional rights? Share your thoughts below!

Head-in-the-Clouds Driving More Responsible For Car Crashes Than Cell Phones?

The latest studies showing what driving behaviors are most dangerous and end up leading to the highest number of fatalities surprisingly blames daydreaming as five times more apt to be responsible for fatal accidents as talking or texting on a cell phone.

Erie Insurance Group recently released a study that concluded that from 2010-2011, approximately 65,000 people were killed in fatal car accidents.

photo by Chad Davis

The Erie study then estimated that 1 in 10 drivers were killed because of distracted driving.

They deciphered that out of these distractions, daydreaming winded up causing fatal car crashes five times more often than talking or texting on cell phones.

These latest revelations can be shocking to anyone. If you’re in an accident and need a car accident attorney, contact us today to learn more.

Texting & Driving – Advice from Henderson Accident Attorney

In addition, to texting and driving, Laura Hunt, Henderson accident attorney, also sees changing music on iPods and other MP3 music devices an increasingly large factor in many minor as well as fatal car accidents. While plenty of drivers have gotten themselves in the habit of texting and driving, many have also distracted themselves with their music. Common reasons why not only teens and adolescents but adults as well find themselves in a car accident include changing the volume, finding a new song, or even trying to pick up a dropped iPod while driving. It may only take a second, but in that second of distraction you can easily hit another car, run a stop sign or red light, or hit a pedestrian. All of these worst case scenarios are terrifying events in a person’s life, so eliminating such distractions are important.

Start by choosing your music selection before you start driving. Make a playlist of all the songs you enjoy driving to in order to avoid changing songs frequently while driving. Also set your desired volume before you begin driving. An interesting fact, however, is that studies show drivers who listen to more upbeat and fast tempo music are more likely to get an a car accident, so choose your music accordingly. Don’t pick songs that are so upbeat and fast you’ll easily be distracted by your temptation to dance and sing along, but also don’t pick songs that are so mellow and calming you may fall asleep.

If you or anyone close to you is involved in a car accident related to cell phone or iPod use, make sure to contact Laura Hunt, the best lawyer for car accident Henderson, Nevada residents trust most. Laura has over 16 years of legal experience and can help alleviate all headaches and stress of a lawsuit regarding car accidents and pedestrians. Only the best can come from working with Laura, and if your suit involves a court appearance, she will help you fight your case until it is settled. Laura has also spent years of her career working as an insurance defense attorney, so anything insurance companies try and throw your way she will be able to handle and combat without intimidation professionally and calmly. There is a reason Laura Hunt is considered one of the top Henderson accident lawyer in the greater Las Vegas area.

If you find yourself in the middle of a car accident lawsuit, don’t dig yourself into a hole with legal papers and court dates without working with an auto accident lawyer; work with Laura Hunt to ensure your case is settled and won. If you are personally injured by a car accident involving cell phone and music device use, contact Laura Hunt today as she is truly the best Henderson lawyer for car accident to work with. Call today at (702)-450-HUNT for a free consultation.