It may only take a few seconds to check your phone for a text message or open an email. But looking away from the road even momentarily can lead to a catastrophic accident. And the research backs this up. Recent statistics show that approximately one-quarter of all car accidents involve cell phone use — that’s… Read More
Passen Accepts Award for Distracted Driving Program
Matthew Passen of Passen & Powell recently completed his year-long term as Chair of the Chicago Bar Association Young Lawyers Section (YLS) comprised of over 9,000 attorney-members in the greater Chicagoland community. During his term, Mr. Passen implemented a new public service program, End Distracted Driving (EndDD.org), to combat the growing epidemic of distracted driving accidents resulting in… Read More
Technology Contibuting to Distracted Driving Accidents
We live in an age of constantly divided attention. Multitasking is a modern mandatory when it comes to getting everything done on our daily to-do lists. From walking and talking to eating on the run (quite literally), our society’s emphasis on effectiveness and productivity has made every minute matter in terms of efficiency. Technology and… Read More
Passen TV Interview on PBS Regarding “End Distracted Driving” Initiative
Matthew Passen recently appeared on PBS’s “Justice & Law Weekly” to discuss his adoption of the “End Distracted Driving” public service initiative as Chair of the Chicago Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Section. The program involves attorney-volunteers visiting high schools across Chicagoland to discuss the dangers of distracted driving. Watch the interview below:
Distracted and Drowsy Driving Widespread
A new study shows that 1 in 5 people are violating Chicago’s ban on using hand-held cell phones while driving, a law enacted to prevent deadly car crashes caused by distracted drivers. Distracted driving incidents are a leading cause of motor vehicle accidents across the country. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC),… Read More
Texting While Driving Epidemic
Although many states, including Illinois,distracted driving chart 300×224 Texting While Driving Epidemic have made texting while driving illegal, in 2011, 23% of automobile accidents were a result of distraction by cell phone usage. That is 1.3 million automobile collisions. Driving while texting makes an accident 23% more likely. 39 states and the District of Columbia… Read More
Traffic Fatalities on the Rise in US
The American auto industry is continually touting improved safety features. With the many improvements in seatbelts, airbags, auto design, and new gadgets and features aimed at eliminating human error and distracted driving, one would expect a decrease in auto accidents and traffic fatalities in America. Unfortunately, however, this is not the case. Data from the… Read More
Driving While Texting = Vehicular Homicide
While civil punishments and lesser criminal charges for drivers who text are becoming increasingly common, homicide convictions for texting drivers who cause fatal accidents have been, until recently, untested. Now, however, a Massachusetts driver has been convicted of motor vehicle homicide (otherwise known as vehicular homicide) when his texting while driving caused a fatal crash…. Read More
Irresponsible Criticism of Distracted-Driving Legislation
The experienced Chicago automobile accident attorneys of Passen & Powell have frequently written about the dangers of distracted driving, including the use of handheld cellphones, and even hands-free cellphones, while driving. Indeed, studies have shown that using these devices create a greatly-increased risk of an accident: even as high as a risk equivalent to the… Read More
Driving the Most Dangerous Part of America’s Jobs
When most people think of on-the-job-injuries, they think of falls, working with heavy machinery, factory or construction site injuries, and even chemical spills and exposures. However, the single leading cause of work-related deaths is far more commonplace: motor vehicle accidents. Over one-third of all work-related fatalities stem from motor vehicles. According to data kept by… Read More