Maryland hand-held cell phone ban blocked by law makers
A recent bill proposed to the Maryland House of Delegates sought to address the number of car crashes in Maryland caused by driver inattention. The bill, which was defeated in a 12-9 vote by a Maryland House committee, aimed to ban the use of hand held cell phones while driving on Maryland highways.
According to an April 2006 study, driver inattention is a main cause of accidents. The study, published by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, found that 80% of crashes and 65% of near crashes were caused by some form of driver inattentiveness. Other studies have found that nearly 73% of people talk on their cell phones while driving, leading law makers to try to propose legislation to reduce the risk of car accidents.
Despite the high number of car accidents in Maryland caused by driver distraction, there is no evidence pointing to the use of cell phones without hands-free devices being any more dangerous than other distractions, such as radios, GPS and other occupants in the car. According to the study conducted by Virginia Tech and the NHTSA, the biggest distraction which leads to accidents is reaching for a fallen object, which increases the risk of crashing 9 times. The use of phones has only been blamed with a 1.3 fold rise in car accidents
Some Maryland car crashes may have been prevented with this law, but it appears unlikely that it would have reduced the overall use of phones while driving, and could have also increased the number of accidents attributed to fumbling with a hands-free device.
Some Maryland House committee members found cell phones to be no worse of a distraction to drivers than other activities. James Malone Jr, a Maryland Delegate suggested, “do you say you can’t use a cell phone, but it’s OK to eat, drink, read and put on makeup while driving?”
MARYLAND CAR ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS
For over 35 years, the Maryland Car Accident Attorneys at Saiontz Kirk and Miles, P.A. have represented people injured in truck or auto accidents. Distracted drivers can cause a car accident at any time, and it appears to be wishful thinking that legislation regarding hand-held cell phones could have any impact on reducing the number of injuries and deaths from car accidents in Maryland.
If you, a friend or family member have been injured in a car accident in Maryland, make sure you understand all of the rights and benefits you are entitled to before speaking with the insurance company. There are no fees or expenses unless a recovery is obtained. Request a free consultation with our law firm.
