Serious car wrecks occurred all over the country this past Memorial Day weekend.

In Missouri, there were 10 fatalities related to car wrecks over the weekend. Last year, there were 15 fatalities during the same time period. Police say that about half of those killed this Memorial Day weekend in car wrecks were not wearing seat belts.

Arkansas also experienced 10 fatalities over the holiday weekend due to car wrecks.

In addition to fatal accidents, there were an accelerated number of non-fatal car wrecks that caused property damage and serious injuries.

Many of the car wrecks that occurred over the holiday weekend are still under investigation. It is possible that many of the car wrecks could have been prevented.

Car wreck attorneys are working on cases in which serious injury or fatality has resulted due to the negligence of another party.

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.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that driver distraction is a leading cause of car wrecks. They estimate that driver distraction causes about 80 percent of wrecks and 65 percent of close calls.

It is well known that cell phone use while driving is a major cause of driver distraction, which can lead to car wrecks, serious injury and death.

In order to combat driver distraction through cell phone use, over 25 states have placed bans on cell phone use while driving.

Technologies other than cell phones are now beginning to take the stage in regards to driver distraction. Interior navigation screens, computers, and DVD players are playing a factor in distracting drivers from the road.

A study released in 2006 conducted by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found that the central factor in vehicle accidents was, what they referred to as, “secondary task distraction.” This includes any task that requires the driver to divert their attention from the primary task of driving the vehicle.

If you or a loved one has been seriously or fatally injured in a car wreck caused by driver distraction, you may be eligible for compensation. Please contact a car wreck attorney at Cappolino Dodd Krebs LLP at 1-800-460-0606. An experienced car wreck attorney will be able to evaluate if you are eligible to seek compensation.