The use of a cell phone while behind the wheel of a car can significantly increase the risk of a car accident in Atlanta, Duluth, Savannah or surrounding areas of Georgia. This is true even when a handheld cell phone is being used. Rear-end crashes are one of the most common of all collisions on the roads in the United States and a rear-end accident lawyer knows that cell phone use makes a rear-end crash more likely to happen.

A driver who is talking, texting, emailing or otherwise using a phone is not going to be attune to what the vehicle in front of him is doing. This means that the driver in the rear car who is distracted is more likely to fail to react when the driver in front stops or slows.

Most drivers know cell phones are dangerous to use, but the majority of drivers have admitted to talking, texting or otherwise using their phones despite being aware of the risks. In fact, at any given moment, around 11 percent of the drivers in the United States are on their phones. Cell phone bans or restrictions can help reduce the number of people on the roads who are on their phones, although these bans can sometimes be difficult to enforce. Some questions exist about whether a cell phone ban has a measurable impact on crash rates, but studies suggest that prohibiting or limiting the use of a cell phone can cause a reduction in rear-end crashes.

Can Cell Phone Bans Help to Prevent Rear-End Collisions?

Research from Southern Methodist University found that strict laws on the use of cell phones among drivers can have a positive impact on reducing the number of rear-end crashes. Researchers looked at rear-end collision data from California because California has some of the strictest rules on cell-phones in the country. There is a primary-enforcement ban on the use of handheld devices for all drivers, which means police can pull a motorist over for using a handheld electronic device (even to enter GPS data into a phone is illegal). There is also a ban on the use of any wireless communication device, whether handheld or hands-free, for drivers under the age of 18.

The first of California's strict anti-cell phone laws went into effect in 2008. Between 2006 and 2008, before the ban, there were 13,552 reported rear-end crashes within the state. From 2008 to 2010, on the other hand, the number of rear-end accidents reported dropped to 11,708.

The research accounted for variables that could have led to the reduction in rear-end crashes and still found that there was a statistically significant difference in the number of rear-end accidents before and after the use of handheld phones was prohibited. This means that drivers who want to avoid becoming involved in a rear-end accident should make the commitment never to drive while on a phone.

Call the Law Offices of Gary Martin Hays & Associates, P.C. at 1-800-898-HAYS or visit bvihaysdev.wpengine.com to schedule a free consultation if you have been injured in Atlanta, Duluth, Savannah or surrounding areas of Georgia.