Five seconds is the average time your attention is off the road ahead while texting. At 55mph, five seconds is enough time to travel the entire length of a football field. It is hard to overstate the dangers on California roadways due to texting and driving. Dividing your attention while driving to look at a text involves visual, motor and crucial cognitive tasks that divert vital awareness from cognitive flexibility for maintaining speed, positioning and response time on the road. Texting distractions drastically outweigh other driver diversions like adjusting the radio, holding a conversation with a passenger and even talking on a cell phone. The time it takes to look at a text is like driving blindfolded, and can result in a fatal or serious car accident.
If a negligent driver who was distracted by texting, social media or other cell phone applications has injured you or someone you love, you don’t have to face the coming medical issues and legal proceedings on your own. You need proper legal representation from an experienced attorney with extensive knowledge of texting accidents, cell phone accidents and distracted driver collision cases. The advocates at Johnson Attorneys Group are here to be your texting and driving accident lawyers. We have won thousands of cases in California and have the resources to help you win or successfully settle your negligent distracted driver case. Contact us at 1-800-208-3538 today to schedule your free case review.
California Distracted Driver Campaign
Cell phone laws enacted in California prohibit cell phone use and electronic wireless device use for all drivers except valid emergency or work-related purposes. Drivers under the age of 18 cannot use any electronic wireless device including cell phones, Bluetooth, speakerphone, and hand-held or hands-free devices at all. To educate and inform people about the dangers of distracted driving the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) created several PSAs to help spread the message and ‘silence the distractions‘. A movement called It Can Wait is an online pledge that millions have taken to never drive distracted again. The website offers social interaction, free advocate documents, an interactive 360 Experience simulation and a downloadable app to help minimize driving distractions.
The Wireless Communications Device Law
(h3) California has enacted both primary and secondary laws prohibiting both hand-held electronic devices for all drivers and banning all drivers from the act of texting while driving. Additionally, drivers under the age of 18 are prohibited from using any wireless or hands-free devices while operating a motor vehicle. Listed below are the California
Vehicle Code (VC) laws regarding texting while driving:
- VC §23123 (primary law) was enacted in 2008; this law prohibits all motorists from using handheld wireless devices.
- VC §23123.5 (secondary law) took effect in 2009 specifically banning all drivers from texting while operating a motor vehicle.
- VC §23124 was adopted to make the use of any wireless electronic device by a driver, 18 or under, illegal in any instance.
Exceptions:
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- Hands-free usage – Drivers 18 years of age or older may use a hands-free device.
- Bluetooth earpiece – It is legal to use a Bluetooth device, but it is illegal to have both ears covered.
- Speakerphone function – you can talk on your cellphone using the speaker function as long as you are not holding the phone.
- Emergency use – These laws allow a driver of any age to use a cellphone during an emergency to make calls to 911, law enforcement, the fire department, a medical provider or other emergency services.
- Emergency vehicle drivers – Those operating emergency vehicles are exempt during the course of employment.
Take Action, Get Legal Help from Our California Car Accident Lawyer Today
Johnson Attorneys Group encourages you to take action if you or someone you care about was involved in an accident caused by texting and driving or other dangerous distracted driving. Get the legal help you deserve, call us today at 1-800-208-3538. We offer a free case review to determine the maximum compensation you are owed for expenses incurred because of your auto accident. We have the resources to help you successfully settle or win your case. Learn more about clients we’ve helped by viewing our case results.
