Get Off That Cell Phone While Driving

Ben Glass

Attorney
(866) 735-1102 Ext 320

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It should come as no surprise that there is increasing data that driving while talking on a cell phone, even a "hands free" device, is causing death and injury on our roads. There are groups of people who study this. It's called "human factors." Now a brand new study of cell phone using drivers shows that cell phone use can make you as "impaired" as a drunk driver.

The researchers concluded:

"We found that people are as impaired when they drive and talk on a cell phone as they are when they drive intoxicated at the legal blood-alcohol limit" of 0.08 percent, which is the minimum level that defines illegal drunken driving in most U.S. states, says study co-author Frank Drews, an assistant professor of psychology. "If legislators really want to address driver distraction, then they should consider outlawing cell phone use while driving."

To be frank, this does not surprise us a bit. We've seen quite a few cases where accidents were caused by cell phone yapping drivers. In Virginia we can sue and recover punitive damages against drunk drivers who cause death and injury. We predict that it won't be long before a jury, quite justly, delivers a "message" in the form of punitive damages against a cell phone driver.