Agruss Law Firm, LLC, Warns Illinois Drivers About Distracted Drivers: Using Cell Phones While Driving

Car accidents occur every day in Chicago.  From seat belts to turn signals, safety measures are designed to prevent accidents and/or injuries when a car accident occurs. After a car accident does occur, however, it’s important to find the cause of the accident. A competent Chicago car accident lawyer can do just that.  One of the many possible causes of car accidents are distracted drivers, especially drivers distracted by the use of cell phones while driving.  A Chicago injury attorney should always inquire as to whether a person/defendant caused a car accident because they were texting or talking on a cell phone while driving.

Chicago’s hands-free ordinance, which prohibits the use of cell phones while driving, unless used with a hands-free device, went into effect in 2005. In 2010, nearly 24,000 tickets were issued for violating the ordinance, resulting in nearly $2.2 million in revenue for the city.  However, municipalities surrounding Chicago are anything but uniform when it comes to cell phone and driving policy.  In March 2012, the Chicago Tribune surveyed 270 such municipalities, discovering that less than half have their own ordinance. Instead, most municipalities simply rely on the Illinois state law which prohibits people 18 or younger for using cell phones while driving and bans people older than 18 from driving and using cell phones without hands-free devices when driving in a school or work zone.  The municipalities that rely on the state statute, however, receive a smaller portion of the ticket revenue because the circuit court system is used to adjudicate the traffic violations. Some argue that this creates less incentive for municipalities to enforce the state statute. As of September 10, 2012, there were 627 deaths due to car accidents.  It’s unclear, however, how many of these accidents were caused by cell phone use.

Young drivers are the most vulnerable demographic when it comes to distracted drivers’ negligence, as they are disproportionally involved in car accidents.  In 2010, young drivers between the age of 16-20 accounted for less than 7% of licensed drivers in Illinois; yet, they accounted for over 9% of the car accidents.  Cell phones are virtually ubiquitous with teenagers, and it seems likely that teenage drivers that are in car accidents are more likely to have been using a cell phone while driving.

Although the traffic data makes comparisons extremely difficult, it is possible that Chicago’s distracted driver’s ordinance and subsequent enforcement have made Chicago streets safer for young drivers.  In 2010, only 14.2% of the accidents in Illinois involving young drivers occurred in Chicago.

If you have been injured in a car accident, contact Agruss Law Firm, LLC, for a free consultation.  Agruss Law Firm, LLC, handles personal injury cases throughout Illinois.  Agruss Law Firm, LLC, will handle your personal injury case quickly, will advise you every step of the way, and will not hesitate to go to trial for you.  This litigation strategy will provide you with the best possible compensation.  Lastly, Agruss Law Firm, LLC, does not get paid attorney’s fees unless we win your case.  Our no-fee promise is that simple.  Therefore, you have nothing to risk when you hire our Chicago personal injury law firm–just the opportunity to seek justice.

Contact Information

Michael Agruss

Attorney

Agruss Law Firm, LLC

(1) 312-224-4695

michael@agrusslawfirm.com