Published on behalf of In the last few years, the numbers of car accidents caused by cell phone use have increased quite a bit. See National Highway Transportation Safety Administration’s website for information about the problem of distracted driving. Motorcycle riders must be aware of this risk and practice defensive driving techniques at all times.
Distracted driving, especially use of a cell phone when driving, results in a driver taking their eyes off the road. Texting, emailing and even dialing a telephone number can cause drivers to take their eyes off the road for an average of 5 seconds. That is certainly enough time to cause a serious accident.
Motorcycle riders must be especially heightened to this risk because drivers often have difficulty seeing motorcycles on the road. In fact, in many motorcycle-car accidents, drivers typically respond that they just didn’t see the motorcycle until it was too late to respond. Cell phone use when driving is a serious problem and results in intersection, rear end and single car crashes (i.e., swerving into a ditch/tree).
In addition, motorcycle riders face increased risks of serious injuries. What would ordinarily be a minor accident for a passenger car driver can be catastrophic for a motorcycle rider. A simple rear end accident in which a car strikes a motorcycle from behind can be fatal to the motorcycle, especially if the rider is thrown from his bike. The truth is that motorcycle riders who get into accidents often suffer major injuries.
Unfortunately, despite banning texting when driving, Pennsylvania allows drivers to use cell phones to make calls. This is especially problematic because the law is difficult to enforce. Drivers who are caught using their cell phones can simply lie and say they were dialing a phone number. Compare this to neighboring New Jersey, where all cell phone use is banned. In addition, New Jersey legislators take the problem of cell phone use when driving seriously. It recently considered a bill which would allow law enforcement to search phones in all car accident situations.
It is time for Pennsylvania to follow the national trend and ban all cell phone use when driving. It’s simply too dangerous for drivers, pedestrians and motorcycle riders. Banning cell phone use when driving can absolutely save lives.
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Pennsylvania Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
The lawyers at Schwartz & Blackman represent those injured in car and motorcycle accidents in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Watch this video review from an owner of a Philadelphia motorcycle shop.
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