Federal Texting-While-Driving Rules Reinforce States’ Prohibition Of Dangerous Practice, Says Texas Lawyer Brad T. Wyly
Wyly, a personal injury attorney based in Houston, supports ban affecting commercial truck and bus drivers.
Houston, Texas (PRWEB) February 24, 2010 -- New federal guidelines prohibiting texting-while-driving by truckers and bus drivers is a warranted step forward in highway safety, said Houston, Texas personal injury attorney Brad T. Wyly.
“The number of highway accidents caused by inattention to the road because the driver was texting is astounding,” said Wyly, whose firm represents individuals injured in motor vehicle accidents. “The federal government is making a much-needed move to follow the lead of many states by banning texting-while-driving where it has jurisdiction. We at the Wyly Law Firm support the ban and the attention it draws to safe practices among commercial drivers.”
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced in late January that commercial truck and bus drivers who text while driving may be subject to civil or criminal penalties of up to $2,750.
Texas law prohibits bus drivers from using wireless communication devices with a minor on board if the bus is moving, prohibits anyone from using handheld wireless communication devices within a school crossing zone, and restricts all drivers younger than 18 from using wireless communication devices while operating a motor vehicle.
The Department of Transportation’s announcement of the new guidelines said that drivers take their eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds out of every 6 seconds while sending and receiving text messages. At 55 mph, this means the driver is traveling the length of a football field, including the end zones, without looking at the road. Drivers who text while driving are more than 20 times more likely than non-distracted drivers to be in a wreck, according to the latest research.
Nearly 6,000 people died in 2008 in crashes involving a distracted or inattentive driver, and more than 500,000 were injured, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“Unfortunately, we’ll never be able to ensure that every driver is paying proper attention to the road,” Wyly said. “But pressing forward with a public policy against specific dangerous activities is sometimes the best way to shape public opinion and individuals’ actions.”
About the Wyly Law Firm:
The Wyly Law Firm, P.C. is committed to helping people who have suffered a personal injury or have a business law issue or dispute. The firm, based in Houston, represents clients throughout Texas (including Houston, Baytown, Harris County, Beaumont, Galveston and Pasadena TX) in auto accidents, boat accidents, workplace accidents, industrial and refinery accidents, trucking accidents, partnership disputes and Jones Act maritime cases.
Brad T. Wyly, the founder and president of the law firm, is a skilled negotiator and lawyer. He was named as a Rising Star in Law & Politics magazine in 2005, 2006 and 2012. Mr. Wyly may be contacted at 713.574.7034.
