Most people have come to accept that all the new technology in the world has made driving more dangerous. In practically every country, state, and local government in the world, laws are being passed to try and reduce the amount of distracted driving that happens. In fact, California took this issue on and implemented a law at the beginning of 2017. This law made it illegal for drivers to use a cell phone for any reason while behind the wheel of their car.
Did this law actually make a difference? There are two sides to this debate. Some people believe that this law doesn’t go far enough and others feel as though the government is trying to control them. Read on to learn more about what the law does and why both sides may have a point. If you’ve been injured in a car accident that involved distracted driving, reach out to Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 to request a free legal consultation.
The law makes it easier for police to pull over people on their phones
Some people who don’t support the law point out that it was already illegal to text or talk on the phone without a hands-free device while driving. However, police point out that the real issue was that there was no way to prove what a person was doing on their phone. They could pull a person over, who could claim they weren’t texting or talking, which would then prevent them from getting a ticket. The new law means that if the police see a phone in the hand of someone who’s driving, they have a legal right to pull them over and issue a ticket.
Some people think the law needs to go further
Quite a few people agree with this law, but some don’t think it goes far enough. They point out that being on the phone isn’t the only way a driver can be distracted. They list a number of other potential distractions to drivers, including listening to loud music, eating behind the wheel, kids and pets in the car, putting on makeup, and even changing the volume or station on the radio.
How serious is distracted driving?
Most people say that they see someone using their phone while driving on a daily basis. Whether or not this law will impact that is yet to be seen, but we do know that distracted driving is a serious issue. Some studies have shown that it’s actually more dangerous than driving while drunk.
If that seems unlikely to you, consider this: If a driver is going 50 miles per hour, their vehicle is traveling about 300 feet a second. The average amount of time a person takes their eyes off the road to read a text is four seconds. That’s 1,200 feet they’re traveling, essentially with no idea what’s happening on the road in front of them.
If you’ve been injured in a car accident caused by distracted driving then you should reach out to a personal injury attorney. At Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas, we’re here to help you from start to finish. Call us at 909-982-0707 and ask for a free legal consultation.
