O'Connor Law

The New York Times carried a story on July 14, 2007 of 5 recent high school graduates killed in a car accident most likely caused because the 17 year old driver was actively text messaging while she was driving. You can read the full article by clicking on the link below:

Text Messages Sent on Phone of Driver Before Wreck

At Michael J. O'Connor & Associates we see the tragic results of decisions like this everyday. A study released in April 2006 found that almost 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes involved some form of driver inattention within three seconds of the event. More and more often that inattention can be attributed to cell phones.

In the United States over 236 million people subscribed to such wireless communication devices as cell phones as of May 2007. Increased reliance on cell phones has led to a rise in the number of people who use the devices while driving. There are two dangers associated with driving and cell-phone use, including text messaging. First drivers must take their eyes off the road while dialing. Second, people can become so absorbed in their conversations that their ability to concentrate on the act of driving is severely impaired, jeopardizing the safety of vehicle occupants and pedestrians.

A January 2007 survey by the insurer Nationwide found that 19 percent of motorists say they text message while driving. Overall, 73 percent of us talk on cell phones while driving. Another study of drivers in Perth, Australia, found that motorists who use cell phones while driving are four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves.

We encourage our clients to print out this email as well as the New York Times article above and give it to those nearest and dearest to you. It may save them from harm by increasing their awareness of the potentially tragic consequences sometimes associated with cell phone use while driving a motor vehicle.

If you or someone you know is grievously injured through no fault of their own, we hope that you will call or refer our firm so that we can help ensure that your legal rights are adequately protected. For more information, contact the Law Offices of Michael J. O'Connor & Associates at 800-518-4529, or visit our website to fill out one of the contact forms (www.oconnorlaw.com). The initial consultation is free and the firm works on a contingency fee basis, so you pay nothing unless we recover money for you.