According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, there are approximately 660,000 drivers using cell phones or other electronic devices while driving at any given moment during the daylight hours around the country. There was no mention of how many of those users are subsequently involved in car accidents. This may be part of the reason that Louisiana has expanded its ban on texting and driving to include all social media accessible from an electronic device.
The other part of the reason the law was expanded may be because using social media is “technically” not texting. The fine for breaking this law is $175 for the first offense and additional violations can run up to $500 per incident. It is hoped that this new law will help curb the ever increasing number of people that are distracted while driving.
Things that Louisiana State Police troopers look for are crossing into oncoming traffic, varying speeds, and other erratic driving. These are much the same actions that troopers find in impaired drivers. The outcome of being distracted while driving can also have the same deadly consequences as driving while impaired.
It has become automatic for authorities to obtain cell phone records in car accidents that are serious or deadly. The records are used to determine whether a driver’s cell phone was in use at the time of the crash. There is nothing more important while driving a weapon weighing anywhere from one ton upwards than paying attention to the road and traffic laws. When people forget they are operating a deadly weapon and become distracted, accidents will happen and people will get hurt or die. In those cases, civil actions may be filed to recover the financial losses that inevitably follow such tragedies.
