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Cell Phones Causing Alarming Numbers of Motor Vehicle/Car Crashes

I have previously written about the growing number of motor vehicle crashes nationwide discussing how cell phone use is a substantial contributing factor. As I previously reported, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration conducted a major study and issued a report called "Driving While Distracted". Amazingly, between 4000 and 8000 crashes per day are connected with distracted driving.

Driving while on a cell phone is a prime example of distracted driving. In fact, by the end of 2004 there were 182 million cellular phone subscribers in the United States. In two separate field studies, over forty percent (40%) of Americans admit to driving while on their cell phone, however, just by looking around at your local intersection, you may admit that is probably a low estimate. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study found that reaction times are reduced by about twenty percent (20%) for drivers using cell phones over drivers not so distracted. There is a condition called inattentive blindness which suggests that the cognitive distraction caused by mobile phone use mutes a driver's awareness of information while they are driving. The studies showed that it does not matter if the cell phone is held to the ear or is used hands-free. The distraction is attributable to cognitive preoccupation, and not to method of usage.

Drivers must be careful and not handle intense phone conversations during driving, if not handle a cell phone at all. Unfortunately, our brains can only process a certain level of cognitive processing at once. Over and over it has been reported that a driver on a cell phone has run a red light or caused a major wreck by simply not processing obvious information.

Our tactic is to subpoena cell phone bills and carefully investigate any facts that may indicate cell phone use in any way contributed to cause a personal injury to our clients, as this can often explains the negligence or carelessness of a (defendant) driver causing serious injuries.

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Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton, P.C.
1294 Diamond Springs Road
Virginia Beach, VA 23455

Toll Free: (800) 752.0042
Phone: (757) 460-7776
Fax: (757) 460.3428

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