Police would have a new way to combat distracted driving by ticketing teens who use cell phones while operating a vehicle if a bill being considered by the Virginia General Assembly becomes law. The Virginian-Pilot is reporting that under current law, licensed teens can be ticketed if police pull them over for another offense and drivers with provisional licenses (i.e., learner’s permits) can be stopped by police for simply using their phone while behind the wheel.
Not all teenagers will be pleased with this news, but as a personal injury attorney, I applaud our lawmakers for trying to protect teen drivers and those with whom they share the road. I’ve seen far too many careless accidents taht left people injured or dead.
With technology working its way into virtually every facet of our lives, distracted driving has become an epidemic. Many experts have speculated that distracted driving is more dangerous than driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Teenagers are especially likely to be distracted behind the wheel, given their proclivity for texting.
Teenagers aren’t the only drivers who get distracted behind the wheel. With GPS systems, bluetooth headsets and satellite radio come complications. Who hasn’t been frustrated with some form of technology while trying to navigate a local street? We are all guilty of driving while distracted, and should take a cue from the teens to put down our cell phones and pay attention to the road.
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