Category: Cell Phone Laws

I’m burning mad. It takes a moment to pull over to read or respond to a text, to program your GPS, to dial the phone (should you not have voice command) yet people do it while their car is moving.  And, more importantly, while other cars, bicyclists, pedestrians, cats and dogs are moving.  And while buildings are stationary.  Taking our eyes off the road seems harmless enough but it can cause injury and death. In New Hampshire, 18 year old Aaron Deveau was sentenced to jail for vehicular manslaughter.  He was convicted of causing an accident which never, ever would have happened… Read More

Representing injured people and the families of those who have been fatally injured is my passion. However, I’m even more passionate about preventing those injuries and deaths. Please watch the short video below. More importantly, please show it to young people who may not realize how texting, while driving, kills. In more general terms, “distracted driving” kills.

On September 23, 2008, 13-year-old Margay Schee was riding home from school when a semi-truck slammed into the back of her school bus. She was killed when rescuers were unable to get her out of the burning wreckage. The truck driver was talking on his cell phone at the time of crash and said he never saw the bus. Margay’s mother, Elissa Schee, is a founding board member of FocusDriven, the first national nonprofit organization devoted specifically to raising awareness about the dangers of distracted driving. For more information, please visit www.distraction.gov. To share your story, upload a video to YouTube… Read More

What is your reaction when you see someone texting while driving or gabbing away on with the cell phone to their ear while behind the heel? Generally speaking, I don’t notice someone engaged in these (or similar) activities unless I’m behind them waiting for them to finally realize that the light has turned green and it’s their turn to go.  And, of course, it’s always a fun challenge to avoid the car that just swerved into my lane because they’re answering that all-important text message or e-mail.  Oh, yeah, and the other day when a woman pulled out of her parking space and made a u-turn right in front of me.  Naturally, I understood… Read More

This could happen to you. Every disturbing, graphic car accident in this video could happen to you, to me, to any one of us or our loved ones. Pay attention on the road. One millisecond of inattention can change someone’s life, and the lives of their loved ones, forever… and ever. The original video was posted by Tanvir Ahmad on Facebook and, after some sniffing around on Youtube, I was able to find it. I’ve only been able to watch parts of it, it was too disturbing for me to watch in its entirety. You may be braver. I’d like… Read More

The New England Journal of Medicine just published an article entitled The Most Primary of Care – Talk About Driving and Distraction by Amy N. Ship, M.D. Dr.Ship references a British Public Service announcement. Watch this. Show it to your kids.

Twitter is the new rage but where it’s used can be outrageously dangerous. But wait! Before you think I’m anti-Twitter, please be sure that I am all for Twitter! I have a Twitter account with the screenname steigerlaw which, as of today, boasts 1,225 followers, and growing. And I’m following 1,800+ Twitterers as well (and growing). It’s productive, addictive and fun. I keep my Twittering professional — i.e., my Tweets (messages) are generally relevant to law related subjects save a few transgressions such as when I tout the Daily Puppy photo website because I’m a dog lover and think looking at puppy pictures is a great… Read More

We all know how dangerous and annoying it is to text while driving. How about the person crawling in front of you at 10 miles per hour because they’re “safely” texting. Don’t think that this little stunt increases safety! Or the person so involved in their texting that they don’t notice the car in front of them coming to a halt? Well, California has taken care of this issue once and for all (we hope). This new law makes it an infraction to write, send, or read text-based communication on an electronic wireless communications device, such as a cell phone,… Read More

With a new year on the horizon, CHP wants to remind motorists of a handful of new laws that go into effect in 2009. “The overall safety of the motoring public is our primary concern,” says CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “Not only will these new laws enhance a motorist’s safety, many of them are a step toward ridding the roadways of drunk drivers and the tragedy they cause.” Below are the changes to driving regulations and vehicle equipment. Texting While Driving (SB 28, Simitian) This new law makes it an infraction to write, send, or read text-based communication on an electronic… Read More

Will wonders never cease? What an incredible website has now graced the Internet! www.reportdangerousdrivers.com is the ultimate in real life George Orwell (ianism). This site has special meaning to me since part of my practice revolves around representing fault-free people who’ve been injured at the hands of reckless drivers. I get enraged when I see the senseless physical and emotional pain that my clients go through because someone wasn’t paying attention or, worse, was driving erratically or angrily (can you say “road rage?”). This moment of dangerous driving changes innocent lives forever. From the home page of www.reportdangerousdrivers.com comes their description and reason for existence:… Read More