In our experience, the majority of motor vehicle crashes in which we are retained to help injured victims involve some form of distracted driving. Distractions divert drivers’ attention from the roadway, and substantially increases the risk of crash-related injury — indeed, the research suggests distracted driving is as dangerous (if not more dangerous) than driving… Read More
Distracted Driving Accidents
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
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
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
Texting While Driving Rampant Among Teens
This week, another new study again confirms what the top distracted driving attorneys have long knows: despite increased knowledge of the dangers, texting while driving is an enormous problem, and it’s getting worse. The poll showed that the massive campaign designed to educate teens about the dangers of texting while driving is getting through to… 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
‘Understanding Distracted Driving’ Aims to Reduce Crashes
The experienced car accident attorneys of Passen & Powell have frequently written about the dangers of distracted driving. Now, a new video series from the National Safety Council, based here in Illinois, aims to fight this problem with honest, straight-talk discussion of the risks. See chart from The University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research… Read More
Physicians Take a Stand Against Distracted Driving
Our top Chicago accident attorneys have frequently written about the extreme dangers of distracted driving – including texting while driving, and talking on the phone while driving, even if the driver is using a hands-free device. Now, the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine’s “Perspective” edition has published an article challenging primary-care physicians to take… Read More
Texting While Driving Continues to Pose Major Road Risk
A new study released last week, based upon U.S. government data, confirms what our Chicago wrongful death lawyers have been saying all along: driving and texting is a recipe for disaster. The researchers, led by assistant professor Fernando Wilson of the School of Public Health at the University of North Texas Health Science Center at… Read More
Park Ridge Rejects Distracted Driving Ban
After meeting with clients who have been critically injured or whose family members have been killed in accidents caused by distracted drivers taking on their cell phone, texting, or surfing the internet using their “smartphones,” our Chicago truck accident attorneys have written in great detail about the dangers of distracted driving. Yet, in the latest… Read More