STRAIGHT TALK LAW: SEATTLE, WASHINGTON PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER JASON EPSTEIN ON TOUGH NEW CELL PHONE DRIVING LAWS

View PDF | Print View
by: MattCBA
Total views: 35
Word Count: 466

Across the country and even around the globe, legislative efforts to curb this dangerous practice are growing by leaps and bounds. Last month, U.S. Transportation Ray LaHood announced increased federal penalties for truck and bus drivers caught texting and driving – with fines of up to $2750 threatened to those violating the new statute.

In Washington State, where I practice in Seattle as a Personal Injury Attorney, the state senate recently toughened their cell phone driving laws on February 4th, making it easier for police to ticket drivers texting or talking on a cell phone without a headset (incidentally, though many states do permit the use of hand-free headsets for phone calls, studies show they’re just as dangerous to rely on while driving).

The new law, which passed 33-15, upgrades the law to make using a cell phone while driving a primary offense, rather than a secondary one. Washington Senator Tracey Eide, sponsor of the bill, told the Associated Press, “It’s becoming an epidemic, people are not paying attention, and it’s extremely serious.”

Opponents to the bill thought the fight against distracted driving might just distract police from more important matters. “I just have to ask whether the most important thing for law enforcement to do right now is to be out looking to see if people are using their cell phones incorrectly,” commented Washington senator Cheryl Pflug.

While most agree distracted driving increases the odds of auto accidents which cause wrongful death and personal injury, some new research questions whether the new legislative efforts are actually effective in stopping the dangerous practice.

According to the Highway Loss Data Institute, insurance auto accident claims for wrongful death and personal injury didn’t budge one way or the other after distracted driving laws were passed in various states and local communities. The Institute believes this doesn’t bode well for those expecting some kind of safety pay-off from the new laws. About 1.7 million vehicle claims were used for the study.

On the other hand, actual behavior may be changing because of the new awareness of the dangers of distracted driving. SmartDrive Systems, based in San Diego, said its Distracted Driving Index, a quarterly measurement of commercial drivers who engage in distracted driving, fell from 17.9% in the 3rd quarter of 2009 to 15.8% in the fourth quarter.

Since most of the legislation is new, its overall impact may still not be readily apparent. What’s clear is that the numerous studies have shown again and again that distracted driving is a deadly luxury that our roads can ill afford.

For more free “Straight Talk Law” information, please visit my website at www.straighttalklaw.com , where you can order free books on personal injury lawyers, Washington auto accidents, auto insurance, and other valuable legal information, offered as a public service by myself and my law practice in Seattle, Washington.

About the Author

Jason Epstein joined Premier Law Group as a partner in 2007. Jason is a litigator handling all types of personal injury cases with an emphasis on serious plaintiff’s personal injury and insurance coverage. Jason is a member of the Washington State Association for Justice and serves within its leadership. Jason often speaks at CLEs and serves as an arbitrator for both private and mandatory arbitration matters. Jason completed a certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution from the Strauss Institute of Dispute Resolution and the Trial Advocacy program through the National Institute of Trial Advocacy. Jason has been dedicated to representing injured people since 1999. Jason Epstein has been representing individuals against insurance companies and large corporations since 2001. He limits his practice to personal injury and wrongful death cases including auto accidents, motorcycle accidents, or other serious and catastrophic injuries. Hopefully you have already visited StraightTalkLaw.com. This website is loaded with tons of information, and is constantly updated to keep you informed of recent developments. You can also stay up to date by following the blogs which are linked toStraightTalkLaw.com Jason understands that providing the best legal representation to his clients means limiting the number of cases he accepts. He takes fewer cases so he has more time for you. By limiting his caseload, Mr. Epstein is able to give each client and each case the time and attention that they deserve. If you would like to see if your case qualifies for Mr. Epstein to represent you, please contact us throughStraightTalkLaw.com, request one or more of Jason’s books, or call us toll free at (888) 333-1873.

Comments

Add Comment