When you drive around, you notice many do it … and most deny it. Data has shown it is worse than driving while intoxicated.

Texting and driving has become a dangerous and awful habit of American drivers, and the statistics are startling.

According to Forbes, texting and driving is the cause of 11 teen deaths daily. Additionally, texting and driving also:

• Causes 23% of all accidents, that is 1.3 million crashes (www.textinganddrivingsafety.com)
• Causes 330,000 injuries per year (Forbes)
• Is 6x more dangerous than driving while intoxicated (Forbes)

Car and Driver magazine tested reaction times for braking in certain situations when driving 70 mph on a deserted airstrip. Results showed the reaction time was the slowest when texting and driving:

• Unimpaired: .54 seconds to brake
• Legally drunk (.08): add 4 feet
• Reading e-mail: add 36 feet
• Sending a text: add 70 feet

Cell phone and texting laws

There are only 10 states, plus D.C. that prohibit all drivers from using cellphones, 32 states prohibit novice drivers from cellphone use, and 39 states prohibit texting while driving – including Iowa. Iowa law bans all cellphone use for teen drivers with intermediate or restricted licenses. A violation of the law is a misdemeanor, and drivers are subject to a $30 fine. Drivers who violate the law and cause a serious injury or death face a $500 fine or a 90-day suspension and a $1,000 fine or 180-day suspension, respectively. Iowa law is secondary enforced for adults, but primary enforced for teen drivers, meaning teens can be pulled over solely for texting and driving, while adults (secondary enforcement) may receive a ticket for violations only after being stopped for another offense.

The Beattie Law Firm strongly advises against texting and driving and urge you to be aware of your surroundings when driving. If you or a loved one feel you have been a victim of such an event, call the Beattie Law Firm. We can help you by retrieving cellphone records of the defendant as well as other records to help establish your case.