Taking your eyes off of the road for a split second to see a text or make a call on your cellphone can leave you seriously injured in a crash. The Goodlettsville car accident attorneys at Ponce Law explain this situation plays out all too often here in Tennessee.
Data from a National Safety Council report ranks the Volunteer State as having the highest percentage of highway fatalities attributed to distractions caused by cellphones. The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security says that there have been as many as 1,300 Tennessee distracted driving accidents so far this year.
There is hope to bringing an end to distracted driving in our state, though. State Rep. John Holsclaw is planning to introduce a bill that builds on the state’s current law that prohibits motorists from talking on a cellphone unless they are using a hands-free device.
According to The Tennessean, Holsclaw stated he is introducing the bill because the wording of the current regulations make it difficult for police and highway patrol officials to enforce the law. The bill’s first opportunity for consideration will come in January.
Stricter distracted driving laws could significantly improve safety on our highways, but it’s important to recognize that not all accidents can be prevented. That’s why the legal staff at Ponce Law believes it’s important to know what to do after the auto accident.