We All Know That Texting While Driving Distracts Us From Focusing on the Road, But Many of Us Don't Realize That It Has Potentially Deadly Consequences.
We all know that texting while driving distracts us from focusing on the road. It can cause us to drift into another lane or brake suddenly because they are less able to maintain safe distances from other cars. Most of us have done it, whether we would like to admit it or not. Yet, even though we may lose control for a slight moment, we still avoided any kind of accident. So, the question remains, Can texting really lead to death?
On September 15, 2010, 20-year-old Ani Voskanian of Tujunga added to that death toll. She was arrested for gross vehicular manslaughter after running a stop sign in Glendale, CA and killing an elderly pedestrian while texting on her cell phone.
According to police, Voskanian was headed west on California Avenue around 6:37 p.m. when she failed to yield at a four-way stop at Columbus Avenue. She hit 80-year-old Misak Ranjbar as he was in a crosswalk. The impact was so strong that the victim was thrown into the air and landed on pavement. He was taken to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center where he died of head trauma.
It took 3 months for the investigation to lead to her arrest, determining that the 20-year-old driver made no attempt to slow down and had been texting on her phone at the time of the accident.
This tragic Glendale pedestrian accident proves that texting while driving is a deadly combination.
According to CTIA-the Wireless Association, a non-profit representing the wireless industry and AT&T, text messaging has experienced a tenfold increase in the past three years. On average, 16 teens die every day because of distracted driving. However, teens are not the only ones that text and drive. Those who text while driving are 23 times more likely to be involved in a critical accident.
Big cell phone companies like AT&T and Verizon warn against texting while driving. In fact, as of January 1, 2009, California law prohibits writing, sending, or reading text-based communication on a cell phone.
Tips on How to Resist Texting While Driving
- Turn off the cell phone when you get in the car.
- Place the phone out of reach, in the back seat or glove box.
- Have the passenger hold the phone and ask him or her to answer it if it rings.
Contact a California Car Accident Attorney
If you or someone you love has been injured or killed because of an auto accident where the driver was texting while driving, you are entitled to compensation for your medical expenses and lost wages. Texting while driving is against California law and those you violate this will be charged. The California auto accident attorneys at the Jurewitz Law Group specialize in handling cases that involve texting-while-driving. Call our personal injury office at 888-233-5020 to set up a free consulation.
Have you been injured in an accident in San Diego or anywhere in California and don't know what to do next? We are here to help and provide you with the important and relevant information you need to make an informed decision about:
- How to handle your personal injury claim
- Who is the right injury accident attorney to help you with your case, and
- Whether you even need to hire a lawyer to help you with your insurance claim
Call the Jurewitz Law Group at 888-233-5020 to order one of our free California personal injury books to get the information you need or to set up a free consultation with one of our experienced San Diego personal injury attorneys.
