April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month: California Cracks Down on In-Car Texting & Cell Phone Use
SAN DIEGO, April 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The state of California, together with the California Highway Patrol, have deemed April a zero-tolerance Distracted Driving Awareness Month.
Drivers who use hand-held devices on the road are four times more likely to become involved in a serious injury accident than those who abstain from distractions behind the wheel according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Researchers have also found that delayed reaction time caused by texting is equivalent to that caused by illegal blood alcohol levels. As a result, distracted driving has earned a place alongside drunk driving and speeding as one of the top causes of fatal car accidents.
Despite legislation aimed at discouraging drivers from using hand-held devices, the practice persists on California's busy roadways. In an effort to curb the dangerous trend of distracted driving, law enforcement officers will be cracking down on anyone talking or texting without a hands-free device while driving. A ticket for violating either the talking or texting law is $159, while subsequent violations cost $279.
Consider the following tips to reduce distraction while driving.
- Avoid using any hand-held devices or items – iPods, radios, makeup and even snacks – while driving a vehicle. Distracted driving isn't limited to cell-phone use.
- Make safety easier for your friends and love ones: avoid calling or texting anyone who may be driving, such as teens coming home from school or parents returning from work
- Consider using a Smartphone application that allows incoming calls and texts to be placed on hold or read aloud.
About The Law Offices of Michael Pines, APC:
Since 1992, personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Michael Pines, APC have been proponents of using hands-free safety devices while driving to reduce car accident risk in the San Diego community. For ideas on how to prevent car accidents including free downloads like a car accident checklist, go to http://SeriousAccidents.com/blog or follow us on Twitter @MichaelPines. Michael Pines, founder, is an advocate against distracted driving and helps those who are injured in car accidents seek appropriate recovery.
Contact:
Ruth Kagchelland, Director of Public Relations
The Law Offices of Michael Pines, APC
Phone: (858) 551-2090
http://seriousaccidents.com/
SOURCE The Law Offices of Michael Pines, APC
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