In addition to facing manslaughter charges as a result of a fatal wreck, an Oregon woman is also being sued by the wife of the man who died.

Terressa D. Breidel, 41, of Pistol River, Ore., was arrested on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter, driving under the influence of drugs causing injury or death, and possession of a controlled substance after the collision last Oct. 24.

In addition to driving under the influence of drugs, the woman may have been sending a text message on her cell phone when she drove her Ford Explorer into the back of a line of stopped cars.

Ronald L. Rudisill was killed in the four-vehicle pileup, and his wife is filing a wrongful death suit against Breidel and the two Oregon courier companies (GTW Distributing LLC and Senvow LLC) she was working for at the time of the wreck. Rudisill is believed to have been making a delivery on the day of the accident directly for GTW.

If you were injured in a car accident or in an accident involving an 18-wheeler, it’s likely a mistake to represent yourself. An experienced, knowledgable car wreck attorney can help maximize your settlement.

On July 1, 2008, California will institute a new hands-free cell phone law. Drivers over the age of 18 may still use a cell phone with a hands-free head set. Drivers under the age of 18 will not be allowed to use a cell phone at all while driving.

If caught using a cell phone while driving, the first offense will be a $20 fine. Every citation afterwards will be $50. There is not a grace period.

The use of cell phones while driving has been the number one cause of driver distraction in the state of California for the past six years according to the California Highway Patrol.

The Senator who instituted the bill believes that the use of hands-free devices will help to save between 300 and 900 lives every year. Despite the belief that hands-free devices will help to prevent injuries and fatalities, studies continue to indicate that the use of cell phones, whether hands-free or hand-held, is a significant driver distraction.

Overall, the bill is intended to prevent and decrease the amount car wrecks and the resulting injuries and fatalities. Car wreck attorneys are working on cases in which serious injury and fatality has resulted from driver distraction and neglect.

A new bill that is pending in the Florida State Legislature will ban the use of cell phones while driving among minors.

The purpose of the bill is to attempt to reduce the amount of car wrecks in Florida. Many studies have proven that the use of cell phones while driving is as dangerous as driving while under the influence of alcohol. They have also shown that car wrecks can result from talking on both hand-held and hands-free devices.

The bill is set to take effect on October 1, 2008.

The bill prohibits the use of any wireless communications device while driving by anyone under the age of 18. Any violations can result in a traffic ticket.

The bill does not extend to adults.

Car wreck attorneys are working on cases that wherein serious injury occurred during a car wreck caused by driver distraction due to cell phones.