There is little dispute that cell phone use while driving is a substantial factor in many distracted driving car accidents in Mississippi. Federal agencies like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have even compared talking and texting on a cell phone when driving to driving while under the influence of alcohol.
Many states have attempted to address this danger by enacting bans and limits on the use of cell phones while driving. While it is reasonable to assume that these restrictions on texting or talking while driving would reduce car accidents, a puzzling study suggest that these laws have done little to reduce the number of cell phone related car accidents. The study reported on CNN indicated that cell phone bans in three states and Washington DC have not had an impact on auto accident rates.
The researchers who conducted the study were puzzled by the results because there is a wealth of evidence indicating that cell phone use increases auto accident rates. Further, the study found that cell phone driving bans did reduce the use of handheld cell phones while driving. Despite these findings, the accident rate in the states studied did not fluctuate before and after the ban nor was the accident rate for Washington DC different than that of Maryland or Virginia that do not have cell phone bans.
One theory to explain the unexpected results of this recent study is that many drivers continue to use Bluetooth devices in the face of a hands-free cell phone use ban. Several studies have shown that there is no substantial difference in the danger posed by using a cell phone while driving whether one uses a Bluetooth device or a handheld cell phone.
Studies indicate that cell phone use while driving increases the risk of being involved in a collision by a factor of 400 percent. It appears that the real problem is that the challenge in implementing bans on cell phone use is actually eliminating this driving distraction. Because hands-free bans do not appear to be effective, it may take a complete ban on all cell phone use while driving to prevent this form of Mississippi distracted driving accident. The increasing sophistication of smartphones has created an unlimited variety of applications that may be used by someone with a cell phone, which may cause them to take their concentration or eyes off the road and their hands-off the steering wheel.
The other possible problem with cell phone bans may be based on a cost-benefit analysis. Because the fines associated with using a cell phone when driving typically are fairly modest, and it can be difficult to prove someone is using a cell phone while driving, many drivers may determine that the low risk of being caught combined with the relatively nominal penalty does not justify the inconvenience of not using their phone while driving. Unless the penalties associated with cell phone bans are substantially increased, many drivers may choose to continue this extremely unsafe driving practice.
If you or someone you love is injured or a family member dies because of a negligent driver who is using a cell phone while driving, you may be able to seek damages for your injuries and loss. At the Barrett Law Offices PLLC, our experienced Mississippi personal injury lawyers represent injury victims throughout Mississippi. Our law firm has roots that reach back 75 years so contact us today for your free initial consultation at (662) 834-2376 to see how we can help.