Southern California Car Accidents – How Texting Can Affect Your Safety

As mobile phones become more prevalent in today’s society, they are making dramatic differences in how we communicate.  Mobile phone users can be reached anywhere, at any time, and for any reason.   The constant need for communication has spilled into other facets of life, including driving. While mobile phones have allowed for dramatic increases in productivity, they are becoming a major cause for concern for motorists and a culprit for the high number of California auto accidents.  Whether you are in San Bernadino, Riverside, Santa Monica, or any other heavily trafficked location, chances are you have either used a mobile phone, or witnessed another driver using a mobile phone while driving.   

According to the Cellular Telephone and Internet Association (CTIA), the number of monthly text messages reached 110.4 billion in December of 2008, an increase of over 10 times the amount three years prior.  Here are a few more scary statistics about the use of mobile phones while driving:

- Every day in 2008, over 800,000 people were using a mobile phone, texting, or calling while driving in the United States, making wireless devices the No. 1 source of driver inattention.
- Almost 50% of all drivers between the ages of 18 and 24 are texting while driving, and agree that texting is their number one distraction while operating a vehicle.
- According to the Virginia Tech Driving Institute (VTDI), distraction caused by dialing a cell phone increases the risk of accidents by 2.8 times, and distraction caused by texting increases the risk of accidents by 23.2 times in comparison to normal driving conditions.

The prevalence of mobile phone use while driving has caused a number of different states to enforce legislation.  As of September 2009, a total of 18 states including District of Columbia have effectively banned all drivers from cell phone text messaging while driving.  In California, as of January 1, 2009, the Wireless Communications Device Law makes it an infraction to write, send, or read text-based communication on a cell phone, while driving a motor vehicle in California.  While there is a fine for this infraction (first offense is $20 and a minimum of $50 for subsequent convictions), the real issue at hand is the increased risk in causing a serious auto or truck accident.  Serious accidents can result in severe injuries, high medical bills, wages lost, and vast amounts of pain and suffering.

If you have been injured in a California truck accident, car accident, bicycle accident, or motorcycle crash that was caused by a motorist that was distracted by the use of a mobile phone, you need to ensure that you contact a Southern California Auto Accident Attorney.