Mississippi car accident attorneys see the devastating consequences of texting behind the wheel far too often.  While no text message is urgent enough to justify the risk of catastrophic injury or death, many drivers continue to engage in this extremely dangerous driving practice.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that more 78 percent of teens and young adults admit to reading texts behind the wheel, and 71 percent admit to writing and sending texts while driving.  While a number of studies indicate that young drivers acknowledge that texting and driving is an unacceptably dangerous practice, these attitudes are not sufficiently represented in actual driving conduct.  Mississippi car accident lawyer William Kellum III has provided some answers to frequently asked questions about texting and driving involving teens and young adults.

How Dangerous Is Texting and Driving?

While any form of distracted driving is dangerous, texting and driving represents an especially serious risk because it constitutes a cognitive, manual and visual distraction.  Studies have revealed that sending or reading a text causes a motorist to divert his or her eyes from the road for an average of five seconds.  If a driver is traveling at 55 mph, this five second interval is the equivalent of driving the length of a football field while blindfolded.  The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute conducted a study that concluded text messaging while driving increases the risk of being involved in a crash 23 time when compared to a driver who is not distracted.

Do Teens and Young Adults Really Text and Drive More Frequently?

The federal government website devoted to distracted driving (distraction.gov) reports that recently licensed young drivers have the highest probability of involvement in a distracted driving collision.  Data from the NHTSA reveals that more than one in four fatal distracted driving accidents involve drivers under the age of twenty.  Further, one in ten drivers involved in a fatal crash is under the age of twenty, which represents that highest percentage of distracted drivers involved in fatal accidents among all age groups.

What do Mississippi distracted driving laws prohibit with regard to cell phone use while operating a motor vehicle?

Mississippi law prohibits all cell phone use both handheld and hands-free while driving.  Novice drivers are also banned from texting on any type of device while driving.  Because the cell phone and texting laws of Mississippi are primary laws, law enforcement officers can pull over motorists and issue citations even if the driver is not suspected of committing any other offense.

How Come the Laws Prohibiting Distracted Driving in Mississippi Have Not Solved the Problem?

Because the penalties associated with distracted driving are extremely mild when compared with DUI or other serious driving offenses, the consequences might not be severe enough to have a significant impact on motorist behavior.  Further, many people are able to hide their texting messaging or other cell phone use by using hands-free devices or holding their phone in their lap.  Because use of a Bluetooth device still constitutes a mental and manual distraction, this form of cell phone use to text or talk is still unsafe.

Can I pursue a legal claim for damages if I am involved in a crash caused by a distracted driver?

Distracted driving constitutes a violation of traffic safety laws and an unsafe driving practice, so this conduct would be considered negligent.  If the car accident that causes your injury was caused by distracted driving, you can pursue a legal claim for damages.

Zealous Advocate for Victims of Distracted Drivers

Mississippi car accident attorney William S. Kellum III represents injury victims in Jackson, Brandon, Clinton, Canton, Brookhaven, Greenwood, Hattiesburg, Indianola, Madison, Meridian, Natchez, Pearl, Ridgeland, Vicksburg, Yazoo and other surrounding cities and areas.  We offer a free consultation so that we evaluate your case and answer your questions so call us today at (601) 969-2709 or send us an email to schedule your initial consultation.