The Santa Cruz Patch reports that this past week the California Highway Patrol (CHP) began cracking down on distracted drivers. As part of a zero-tolerance enforcement campaign, the CHP will seek out and ticket those drivers who violate the state's hands-free cell-phone law. Reports indicate that in 2008, more than 30,000 California drivers had car accidents due to distraction. The leading cause of distraction - cell phone usage.
Other forms of distraction include eating, drinking, applying make-up, using a GPS, and adjusting the radio. As stated by a CHP officer, when California drivers are multi-tasking, they put both themselves at risk as well as increasing the risk of "injuring or killing their passengers, bicyclists, pedestrians or innocent victims traveling in another vehicle."
Put bluntly - no phone call or text message is worth a human life.
As a Sacramento car accident attorney, I agree. Whenever drivers takes their eyes off the road for just a moment, serious accidents and injuries can occur. Rather than take a chance, its always best to pull over or wait if you need to make a call or text. The risk of injury is far too great.
For more information, or if you have been in accident as the result of a distracted or otherwise careless, reckless or negligent driver, contact Attorney Frederick J. Sette, dedicated to helping the injured for more than 15 years.