Kansas City Traffic Lawyers Suggest Don't Text and Drive

Folks don't realize how destracted they become every time they pick up their cell phone while driving. Rush hour in Kansas City is a difficulty enough, but can quickly change to involve lawyers and misfortune when you add the distraction of a cell phone. Using a smart phone isn't so smart when they create interruptions and potential devastation. The sheer numbers of accidents directly caused by a driver distracted with their cell phone is very high, estimated to be 1.6 million each year. While cell phones aren't the only distraction faced by drivers, they're certainly regarded as a major cause of distraction related accidents.

Kansas City Guidelines for Driving While Using a Mobile Phone

Over fifty percent of US states have laws in place to combat the potential risks of using a cellular telephone while driving. Using your cellular telephone while driving in Kansas could result in fines, tickets and attorney fees, even if you are stopped at a stops sign or traffic signals. Many individuals don't know there are such laws on the books in Kansas. The Kansas law states that anyone below the age of 21 is prohibited from using a mobile at all, while those over 21 are banned from texting while driving. Ignorance of the law is no excuse, so be sure you understand what your regional laws are.

The laws related to driving and cell phones are being updated daily. Kansas City traffic lawyers have a unique challenge in relation to cell phone regulations because the city shares a state line between Kansas and Missouri, linking both states with roadways and a huge metropolitan area. While Kansas forbids texting while driving; Missouri does not have any laws in place for using a cell phone when driving. That is certainly going to change soon, and not just for the state of Missouri. Nationwide, the statistics keep increasing, encouraging new laws concerning cell phones behind the wheel.

Cellphones and Driving Figures

Studies and information concerning driving while using a cell phone will probably stun you. Kansas City traffic attorneys have observed a dramatic increase in sad cases involving cell phones and driving. This has been reported by the National Safety Council that over 330,000 injuries and 1.6 million crashes per year are related to using a cell phone while driving. Texting while when driving is 6 times more likely than driving drunk to result in a car accident, and texting when driving is responsible for an unexpected 1 in 4 traffic accidents. With statistics like this, people should hold off until the car is in park before they use their mobile phone.

A quick review of data could convince you about using your cell phone behind the wheel. Making the roads safer for everybody has been a serious struggle for Kansas City traffic attorneys and lawmakers alike. When you answer a text message while driving, it distracts you for about 5 seconds, and at 55 mph, that's like driving blind-folded over the length of a football field. It is a undeniable fact that texting while driving is an extremely dangerous cell phone activity. Due to these hazards, 94% of people polled think texting while driving should be completely banned and 74% support banning all cell phone use while driving. Studies show that hands-free phone usage doesn't really affect the statistics much, either.

Teen Driving and Cell Phone Research

Teenage drivers have many disruptions to cope with, but a cell phone can be perilous. Traffic lawyers in Kansas City and attorneys nationwide admit that 21% of serious accidents involving teenage drivers were directly related to driving while using their cell phones. Every day, 11 teenage drivers die because they were sidetracked while texting and driving. With research like that, it's a question general public and personal safety to evolve our cell phone laws. Waiting until the car is in park is the best time to answer a text message or respond to FaceBook.

When looking at distractions in the car, drivers younger than 21 are the most impacted. Ask any attorney in Kansas City and they'll tell you they've already seen some real traffic tragedies that involve young adults who were texting while driving. What's really amazing is that teens actually know better. 94% of teenage drivers admit they understand the potential risks of texting, but 35% admit to doing it anyways. To put it into perspective, texting and driving is statistically more unsafe than driving under the influence.

2012 Driving and Cellular Telephone Data

The driving while using cell phone statistics from 2012 were incredibly high. Kansas City traffic lawyers are seeing a dramatic rise in accidents of all varieties involving mobile usage. That year alone saw 3,328 distraction-related deaths in auto accidents. It's shocking to find out that nearly 50 % of all drivers on the road admit to answering their mobile while driving and 58% of those drivers will continue to talk as they drive. It can be very distracting to answer a cellular phone while driving, but it is statistically more risky to text while driving.

Pedestrian accidents are on the rise because of cell phones, also. Kansas City traffic lawyers and lawmakers nationwide have seen a surprising boost in accidents and fatalities involving pedestrians who were distracted by their mobile devices. In 2012, a study was conducted on some of Seattle's busiest intersections. Researchers found that pedestrians who texting are 4 times LESS likely to look before crossing the street and take generally two seconds longer to completely get through the intersection. Two seconds isn't considerable time, however the study demonstrated that a pedestrian is alarmingly sidetracked when using a cell phone.

2012 Driving With Mobile Phone figures

Statistics obtained from 2012 show very an increased number of crashes were connected with cell phone use. Kansas City traffic lawyers are seeing a dramatic boost in accidents of all kinds involving cellphone usage. In 2012, there were 3,328 people killed in distraction-related car crashes, many of which included answering a mobile call or text message. Almost half of all drivers driving on the road admit to answering their cell phones while driving and another 58% carry on and drive while on the phone. Text messages are significantly more distracting than phone calls, but both are unsafe when driving.

Pedestrian calamities are rising due to cell phones, also. While it's not likely something you think about, Kansas City traffic lawyers have seen a remarkable rise in pedestrian injuries and deaths linked to cell phone use. Studies involving some of Seattle's busiest crossing points were conducted in 2012. Researchers found that pedestrians who texting are 4 times Less inclined to look before crossing the street and take an average of two seconds longer to successfully get across the intersection. Two seconds isn't considerable time, but the study indicated that a pedestrian is dangerously distracted when using a cell phone.

phones are distracting under any situation. Being distracted by your cellular phone might require the expertise of a Kansas City traffic lawyer. Hopefully, these shocking stats forces you to think twice about grabbing your phone while you're behind the wheel of a car. Drivers using their cellular phones while when driving are becoming a nationwide issue. In 2013, the number of people killed in distraction related car crashes diminished by 6.7%. With this in mind, education is paramount to reducing that number even further.

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