(On behalf of Gibby Andry Law, New Orleans, LA)
Texting is the new way we humans communicate. Some of us have been known to text while driving, flying, skiing, riding a horse, riding a bike, rollerblading, walking, talking, using the bathroom, etc., etc. However, our brains are not equipped to handle two things at once. Our reaction time is slowed. When it comes to driving while texting, the results aren’t good. One would think that being drunk or high on drugs would affect our reaction time more greatly than a few seconds of texting while driving, but such is not the case.
Just to give you an idea, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has estimated that a driver traveling at 55 miles per hour who sends or receives just one text message typically takes his eyes off of the road for the amount of time it takes to travel the length of a football field, including the end zones. A lot can happen in that distance. And, many of us rarely travel at just 55 mph anymore.
Operators of 18-wheelers, busses, ferry boats, cruise ships and trains have also been at fault for texting while “driving.†One example which comes to mind was the 2008 accident in California in which the operator of a train crashed while texting, killing 25 people, including himself, and injuring over a hundred more. There have been countless other accidents caused by commercial drivers texting while operating their vehicle. The US Department of Transportation now bans all commercial drivers from texting while driving and some states ban any and all drivers from doing so.
But, as we know, not everyone follows the rules. If you or someone you know has suffered serious injuries in an automobile accident through someone else’s carelessness, give us a call at (888) 696-6049. The Gibby Andry Law Firm is located in New Orleans, Louisiana, and we have the experience necessary to properly evaluate serious cases of injury and/or death. Let us get to work on getting you and your family the compensation you deserve.
