August 18, 2010 (Press-News.org) Many drivers realize that talking or texting on their cell phone is dangerous while driving, yet with over 80 million cell phones in use in the U.S., it has become far too common to drive while distracted.
The Risks
A study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration analyzed a large study group to determine how common and destructive distracted driving has become. The study estimated that drivers on their cell phones caused 955 deaths and 240,000 accidents in 2002. Drivers talking or texting were found to be as likely to crash their vehicle as someone with a Blood Alcohol Content of .08.
A study by the University of South Carolina proved that both listening and talking on the phone inhibits simple visual tasks. This suggests that even hands-free phone devices are dangerous while driving.
The New Federal Bill
On June 9 2010, a Senate committee passed a new bill that, if passed by the full Senate, will reward states for tough laws on cell phone use while driving. The bill would take surpluses from a different highway bill and create a $94 million program to distribute grants to states that meet the requirements.
For a state to receive a grant under the new bill, they must ban the use of hand-held devices and texting for all drivers. The states must also require primary enforcement of these laws, meaning a driver can be pulled over and cited by a law enforcement officer for driving while distracted.
If a state receives a grant, 50 percent of the funds must be used towards educating the public about the dangers of distracted driving.
The new bill also would require the U.S. Department of Transportation to issue regulations for commercial and bus drivers. It would prohibit auto-makers from installing entertainment screens, like DVD players, in view of the driver.
Current Laws on Distracted Driving
Currently, using a hand-held device while driving is banned for all drivers in eight states and in Washington D.C. Texting while driving is banned by 30 states and D.C. No states have a complete ban on all cell phone use, including hands-free devices. However, 28 states have banned all cell phone use for novice drivers and 18 states have banned all use for school bus drivers.
Article provided by Lorenz & Lorenz, LLP
Visit us at www.austinaccidentattorney.com
New Bill in Review: Offers Rewards to Ban Distracted Driving
With a significant increase in distracted driving accidents, Congress is considering a bill that would reward states with tough laws on cell phone use while driving.
2010-08-18
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Battle to Enforce Trademark Wax Seal on Liquor Bottles Finally Ends
2010-08-18
Copying a single aspect of another company's packaging - even if the companies are not in direct competition with one another - may violate federal trademark laws. That difficult lesson comes courtesy of a recent court decision (Maker's Mark Distillery Inc., v. Diageo North American, Inc., et. al, 2010 WL 1407325 (W.D.Ky.) from the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky.
The case arose out of the adoption of the distinctive red wax seal used by Maker's Mark, a distiller of bourbon, by the makers of Cuervo tequila. Although no one is going to ...
Treating Mental Illness: Can a Missed Diagnosis Lead to Jail Time?
2010-08-18
Countless crimes are committed everyday in the United States. Some of them, by default, are committed by people with some form of mental illness. Some of these disorders are diagnosed, some are not.
In some cases, relatively minor offenses arise as the result of mental illness. An individual may be arrested for trespassing or for being a public nuisance, when the criminal activity is a merely a symptom of a larger problem.
In other cases, a criminal act is a cry for help - some know that the only way they will ever receive the medication and treatment they desperately ...
Michigan High Court Considers "Possession" in Child Pornography Cases
2010-08-18
In a recent case, the Michigan Supreme Court elucidated the meaning of "possession" within the context of child pornography. The ruling expands the definition of possession to include both actual and constructive possession of child sexually-abusive material, thereby making it more difficult for people accused of possession of child pornography to defend against these allegations.
The defendants were identified after federal officials raided a company in Florida that sold child pornography on the Internet. With information from the credit cards used to access and view ...
Manufacturers Try to Swerve Around Off-Road Vehicle Safety Rules
2010-08-18
Manufacturers of recreational off-road vehicles are attempting to head off regulators by incorporating some safety features into their products. The chairperson of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says these belated efforts won't deter the government from pursuing safety standards.
The Commission is writing mandatory rules for the two- to four-passenger recreational off-road vehicles also known as ROVs.
Bloomberg News reports that U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission chair Inez Tannenbaum told a meeting of ROV manufacturers that "it concerned me then, ...
FMCSA Defends CSA 2010 Model, Schedule
2010-08-18
The trucking industry's primary regulator, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), has proposed Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010, a new measurement, enforcement and compliance program designed to measure drivers' safety habits and training.
The program's goals are to improve federal and state enforcement of safety and regulatory laws, identify and address behavior that increases risk and encourage the use of technology to track safety and performance data. The data will be compared among carriers to pinpoint at-risk companies.
Hearings on Capitol ...
Radiation Overdoses Coming To Light Following Brain Perfusion CT Scans
2010-08-18
Imagine suddenly losing your hair in a narrow ring around your head (right about where a hat would sit) but have no idea why. That dilemma was the start of a very troubling discovery for hundreds of people across the country who had been the victims of radiation overdoses during CT scans.
In the summer of 2009, reports of the telltale hair loss and other symptoms began surfacing, as medical experts and the victims themselves began putting the pieces together. All signs pointed toward radiation overdoses during CT perfusion scans -- tests for blood flow in the brain, ...
Does Massachusetts' "Charitable Immunity" Law Affect Patient Safety?
2010-08-18
Everyone agrees that well-trained, devoted nurses are a crucial component of quality health care. Not everyone agrees on what nurse staffing levels are needed to maintain high-quality care or on how to create and sustain a sizable pool of good nurses. Some Massachusetts health care advocates are now focusing on the state's "charitable immunity" law as an overlooked contributing factor to substandard care.
What is the "Charitable Immunity Law"?
Massachusetts is one of the few remaining states to recognize the doctrine of "charitable immunity." In short, this legal ...
Superior Atlanta Airport Hotel Offers Convenient Accommodations to International Woodworking Fair 2010 Attendees
2010-08-18
The Hilton Garden Inn Atlanta Airport Hotel North offers convenient lodging to guests attending the International Woodworking Fair (IWF) 2010 at the Georgia World Congress Center. The event is being held on August 25-28, 2010 from 8:00am to 5:00pm. Expected to generate 53,000 attendees, IWF is where the industry comes together to solve problems and find solutions.
The International Woodworking Fair will include:
- A Technology Session where attendees can learn from their peers and industry experts
- Over 950 exhibiting companies
- New product showcase and a green ...
Coast 2 Coast Moving & Storage Reports Busy Summer Season, Hiring Additional Atlanta Movers
2010-08-18
Although the troubled economy has led many businesses to downsize recently, Coast 2 Coast Moving & Storage is pleased to announce that this is not the case with their Atlanta moving company, and that they are actually in the process of hiring additional Atlanta movers.
Summer is typically the busiest time of the year for the Atlanta moving industry, and Coast 2 Coast Moving & Storage has seen peak demand over the last few months for their Atlanta moving and storage services. As business thrives for the Atlanta moving company, Coast 2 Coast is hiring additional Atlanta ...
Door2Tour.com Reports a Record Breaking July 2010
2010-08-18
Door2Tour has announced record breaking sales for July 2010, despite an unstable few months for the travel industry.
With companies such as TUI Travel and Thomas Cook seeing their profits nose-diving and the collapse of tour operator Goldtrail Holidays, the travel industry has certainly been suffering over recent months but online coach holidays consolidator Door2Tour.com has bucked the overall trend by reporting record sales for July 2010. They have seen a record 63% sales increase for coach holidays in July 2010 compared to the same period in 2009, despite the current ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Black women hospitalised in USA with blood infection resistant to last-resort antibiotic at increased risk of death
NEC Society Statement on the Watson vs. Mead Johnson Verdict
Lemur’s lament: When one vulnerable species stalks another
Surf clams off the coast of Virginia reappear – and rebound
Studying optimization for neuromorphic imaging and digital twins
ORNL researchers win Best Paper award for nickel-based alloy tailoring
New beta-decay measurements in mirror nuclei pin down the weak nuclear force
Study uncovers neural mechanisms underlying foraging behavior in freely moving animals
Gene therapy is halting cancer. Can it work against brain tumors?
New copper-catalyzed C-H activation strategy from Scripps Research
New compound from blessed thistle promotes functional nerve regeneration
Auburn’s McCrary Institute, ORNL to partner on first regional cybersecurity center to protect the nation’s electricity grid
New UNC-Chapel Hill study examines the increased adoption of they/them pronouns
Groundbreaking study reveals potential diagnostic marker for multiple sclerosis years before symptom onset
Annals of Internal Medicine presents breaking scientific news at ACP’s Internal Medicine Meeting 2024
Scientists discover new way to extract cosmological information from galaxy surveys
Shoe technology reduces risk of diabetic foot ulcers
URI-led team finds direct evidence of ‘itinerant breeding’ in East Coast shorebird species
Wayne State researcher aims to improve coding peer review practices
Researchers develop a new way to safely boost immune cells to fight cancer
Compact quantum light processing
Toxic chemicals from microplastics can be absorbed through skin
New research defines specific genomic changes associated with the transmissibility of the monkeypox virus
Registration of biological pest control products exceeds that of agrochemicals in Brazil
How reflecting on gratitude received from family can make you a better leader
Wearable technology assesses surgeons’ posture during surgery
AATS and CRF® partner on New York Valves: The structural heart summit
Postpartum breast cancer and survival in women with germline BRCA pathogenic variants
Self-administered acupressure for probable knee osteoarthritis in middle-aged and older adults
2024 Communicator Award goes to “Cyber and the City” research team based in Tübingen
[Press-News.org] New Bill in Review: Offers Rewards to Ban Distracted DrivingWith a significant increase in distracted driving accidents, Congress is considering a bill that would reward states with tough laws on cell phone use while driving.