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Decreasing the Number of North Carolina Car Accidents: State Bans Text Messaging While Driving

Beginning December 1, North Carolina drivers will no longer be allowed to text message or e-mail while driving. The statewide ban was announced on Friday, after Governor Beverly Perdue signed the new law. The ban on text messaging will hopefully decrease the number of North Carolina car accidents caused by this modern, bad habit.

Not only is texting while driving rapidly becoming a common cause of US motor vehicle crashes, but even though the public is now aware of how deadly this form of distracted driving can be, many drivers still continue to text and drive at the same time.

80% of motorists are reportedly are in favor of laws banning texting while driving, yet two out of five drivers admit to sending, receiving, composing, or reading texts while behind the steering wheels of their vehicles. AAA Carolinas says that one out of five motorists does not pay 100% attention to the road. Combine driver inattention with a motorist that has one or both hands off the steering wheel while texting in rush hour traffic and the consequences can be catastrophic. Also, just recently, The RAC Foundation recently reported that texting while driving impairs the reaction times of drivers more than if they were to drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Under North Carolina?s new law, a school bus driver that sends texts or e-mails while operating a bus will be charged with a misdemeanor and must pay a $100 fine. North Carolina drivers caught texting while in any other kind of vehicle will be fined $100.

According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, so far this year seven US states have made it illegal for motorists to text and drive at the same time. To date, 14 US states ban people from typing away on their cell phones or PDA?s while operating a motor vehicle.

Texting while driving is negligent driving. If someone you love was seriously injured or died in a North Carolina car crash because a driver was texting or talking on the cell phone, there may be grounds for personal injury or wrongful death recovery.

Texting at wheel illegal on Dec. 1, News and Observer, June 20, 2009

NC gov. warns texters: 'Hope u r not driving now', Gainesville.com, June 19, 2009

Text driving 'worse than drink', BBC, September 18, 2008

Related Web Resources:
RAC Foundation

Governors Highway Safety Association

Full post as published by North Carolina Injury Lawyer Blog on June 22, 2009 (boomark / email).