My husband is constantly complaining about people using their cell phone while driving.  Just the other day, he told me that he had made it a point to watch as he was driving in town to see if other drivers were using cell phones.   Nearly every driver he passed was indeed using a cell phone. 

          We live in a small town.  It takes approximately 5-6 minutes to go anywhere in town you want to go.  Then why does everyone have to be using a cell phone while driving?  Kids are at school or athletic functions and need to be picked up, someone forgot something and needs you to bring it to them, you are cooking supper and need whoever is out and about to pick up something at the store…and the list of ‘good reasons’ goes on and on.

          Statistics show, and if we were honest with ourselves we would know this without checking statistics, that the distraction of a cell phone almost quadruples our chances of getting into an accident.  Therefore, try to make it a habit to pull off the road to use your cell phone. 

          As the saying goes, ‘the life you save may be your own’.

As of March 1^st, New Jersey police will have the authority to pull over and ticket drivers for using hand-help cell phones while operating a vehicle.  The revised law allows drivers to use hands-free devices, but makes using hand-held phones a primary offense, allowing police to pull over a driver without any other traffic violations.   Drivers caught talking or text messaging on a hands-held device can be fined up to $100 and face a surcharge of $250. 

The revised law will take effect despite evidence that hands-free devices still only have a marginal effect on the likelihood of being in a car wreck. Current research shows that there isn’t a difference between hands-held and hands-free in regards to the level of driver distraction.   Police reported 3,580 accidents across New Jersey that involved cell phone use in 2006. According to the Department of Transportation, 2006 is the first year that the type of cell phone use during car wrecks has been accounted for.   Of the 3,580 reported accidents, the number is evenly split in regards to hands-free and hands-held devices at 1,854 to 1,726. Out of the 3,580, 11 of the wrecks were fatal. Out of these 11, it is again split. Six fatal car wrecks involved drivers using hands-held and five involved drivers using hands-free. 

If you or a loved one was seriously injured in a car wreck due to driver distraction from a cell phone, contact a driver distraction attorney of Cappolino Dodd Krebs LLP at 1-800-460-0606. An experienced driver distraction lawyer will be able to evaluate if you are eligible to seek compensation.

A New York City garbage truck driver was arrested and charged with two counts of second degree manslaughter and reckless endangerment after losing control of a garbage truck and hitting pedestrians on February 12^th.

An indictment was filed against the 54-year-old driver in a Manhattan Criminal Court on February 19^th.

The driver lost control of the garbage truck after suffering a seizure. The truck struck and killed two English tourists and injured another pedestrian.

It is reported that the driver told police that he had suffered from seizures in the past. He stopped taking his anti-seizure medication two weeks prior to the wreck.

The driver is being held on $250,000 bond or $100,000 cash.

The driver could face up to 15 years in prison for each count of second degree manslaughter.

If you or a loved one has been seriously or fatality injured in a truck wreck due to driver negligence, contact a truck wreck attorney at Cappolino Dodd Krebs LLP at 1-800-460-0606. An experienced truck wreck lawyer will be able to evaluate if you are eligible to seek compensation.