Texting while driving is like drunk driving

As an attorney, I can’t help but notice how many people are talking on their phones while driving. Talking on the phone, dialing and, even worse, text messaging are distractions that lead to motor vehicle accidents. If you text message people on your phone while driving, you’re making a huge mistake. One that could cost you money and possibly criminal charges if you cause an accident that results in someone being injured. A woman was killed in Arizona in 2007 in a motor vehicle accident believed to be due to another driver who was text messaging. The texting driver was ejected upon impact and also died. See: http://www.ktar.com/?nid=6&sid=1246968 A young man who was emptying trash behind a garbage truck lost his legs in an accident this past August when a Bartow, Florida, man crashed his vehicle into the back of the garbage truck. The police claim that the Bartow resident was texting on his phone at the time. He is facing the criminal charge of reckless driving resulting in serious injury and could end up with jail time. See: http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/nov/10/texting-blamed-accident-cost-man-both-legs/

Although some states have laws prohibiting hand held cell phone use while driving, Florida does not. At least, not yet. So, be careful out there! The highway is full of people with cell phones! Just look around.