Driving is a necessary thing we do on a daily basis, especially in Los Angeles. When you hop in your car to go to work or run an errand you don’t anticipate a car accident, or even fear it as you are driving. But, we are often multitasking and distracted in our fast-paced lifestyles. For many of us, this multitasking has become second nature, so we think it’s harmless to read or send a text message while driving.

Realistically, we are not actually multitasking, and our focus is solely on our phones in those few moments. Your brain cannot process the sudden changes that happen on the road when it’s focused on something else. This causes delayed responses, which could lead to the driver not hitting the brakes in time to prevent an accident.

The Cost of Distracted Driving

According to the NHTSA, 3,450 people died due to distracted driving incidents in 2016, and over 391,000 suffered injuries in 2015. Teens were the largest group reported to have died from distracted driving. No text message or phone call is worth losing your life or taking someone else’s. Even if you don’t cause an accident, if a police officer catches you on your phone while driving, you could face a fine for doing so. As of 2018, California’s laws on distracted driving state:

• Drivers are not allowed to use mobile phones for calling, nor reading or writing text messages while driving on a public road. Legally, you can use mobile phones while driving if you’re on private property, or in case of an emergency call to law enforcement or other similar service.
• Drivers may use cell phones for texting or calling if they have a hands-free system installed. California’s definition of a hands-free system states that a phone must be mounted on windshield or dashboard in a way that doesn’t hinder the driver’s view of the road, and the driver’s hand must be able to activate or deactivate it with a single swipe or tap.
• All drivers under the age of 18 are prohibited from using phones even with a hands-free system.

Here at Novik Law Group, A Professional Law Corporation, we want our Los Angeles county residents to practice safe driving and keep our busy streets as accident-free as possible. Unless it is an absolute emergency, wait until you have arrived at your destination before using your phone. If you find yourself in an accident caused by another driver’s negligence, call us at (818) 305-6041 for a free consultation.