A research study conducted by the American Automobile Association’s Foundation for Traffic Safety discovered that many people continue to send text messages while driving, even though many of the drivers surveyed admitted to engaging in the behavior anyway. According to representatives from the automobile association, 94 percent of the survey respondents said they consider texting while driving to be a dangerous practice, but approximately 33 percent of survey respondents admitted to sending and receiving text messages while operating a moving motor vehicle. A spokesperson for the American Automobile Association’s Indiana branch said the state’s recently passed legislation prohibiting drivers from text messaging indicates positive progress toward safer roadways, but the association’s official position is that a broader effort will be required to effectively reduce the dangers posed by handheld communication devices. According to the association, a joint effort between automakers, cellphone manufacturers, mobile service providers and the government is necessary to discourage motorists from participating in the distracting practice of sending and receiving text messages while operating a moving motor vehicle. According to safety studies cited by the association, text messaging while behind the wheel is equally as or more dangerous than driving while under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
As a Los Angeles car accident lawyer, I am hopeful that the roads can be made safe from the dangers posed by new technological innovations. If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident linked to a distracted driver, please consider contacting a Los Angeles personal injury attorney.