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States banning texting and driving saw less personal injury cases

On Behalf of | Apr 2, 2019 | personal injury |

Texting and driving is one of the most dangerous issues in Maryland and across the nation. People who are not paying attention to the road when behind the wheel place everyone at risk. This can cause personal injury and death to pedestrians, bicyclists, drivers and anyone else who has the misfortune of encountering a person who placed greater importance on checking a message on a smartphone to safety. Those who have been hurt or suffered the loss of a loved one in a crash should be aware of the chance that it was due to a distracted driver and act accordingly with a legal filing for compensation.

Studies are frequently conducted to determine the scope of the problem and formulate solutions. One recently discovered that states with a ban on texting and driving significantly reduced the need for emergency room visits after a crash. In states where drivers are banned from texting and driving, there were 4 percent fewer visits to emergency rooms. In one year, that comes to more than 1,600 people who did not need such treatment.

Local law enforcement discussed the state law and how it penalizes driver who are caught texting and driving. It is a primary offense in Maryland meaning that law enforcement does not need any reason other than seeing the driver texting to make the stop. For states where it is a secondary offense, there must be other reasons such as running a red light. Nearly all states — 47 of 50 — have a law banning texting and driving. Since the law has been enacted, law enforcement says they see fewer crashes because of texting and driving.

Despite these laws and the best efforts of law enforcement to educate people on the danger of texting and driving, it still happens at a troubling rate. When there is a crash, it can result in injuries and fatalities with all the personal and financial costs to accompany it. A law firm that has experience in assisting people with all levels of personal injury cases should be contacted as soon as possible to begin the process of recovering compensation in a lawsuit.

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