Distracted Driving Law Proposed in Arizona

Arizona legislators are considering banning texting while driving.

2012-02-29

February 29, 2012 (Press-News.org) Arizona has recently proposed a bill that would ban texting while driving. Those caught texting behind the wheel would receive a $50 fine, which would increase to $200 if the texting driver causes an accident. Phoenix already has a texting ban in place, but this rule would allow for more uniformity in texting laws throughout the state. The House Transportation Committee approved the bill 6-2, and it will go on for further consideration.

Even if the bill becomes law, it may still not prevent distracted driving from happening. Law enforcement officers may have difficulty enforcing the rule, as finding out that a driver was texting while driving can be impossible to prove. It can be even more challenging for officers when a car accident caused by a distracted driver has occurred.

Many of these crashes are attributed to other factors, and drivers texting or using a cellphone while behind the wheel are reluctant to tell law enforcement what they were doing prior to the crash. If evidence of distracted driving is not apparent to those investigating the accident, officials may fail to do the necessary follow-up to determine the accident's cause.

While there have been countless initiatives focused on reducing the number of distracted drivers, the process of actually investigating accidents for the presence of this type of behavior is less advanced. Police have little training in this area, and may not know what signs to look for while investigating an accident.

Police crash report forms in Arizona do not have a category for officers to indicate that distracted driving was a cause of the accident. Unless the officer actually discloses this information, it will not be recorded. Law enforcement officers are dependent upon witnesses and the drivers involved in the accident to determine that distracted driving was a factor, which can be a very difficult process.

If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident, contact an experienced personal injury attorney in your area to understand what options are available for your situation. It is important to discuss your case with someone who can help you make a decision that is in your best interests.

Article provided by Plattner Verderame, P.C.
Visit us at www.plattner-verderame.com

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Appellate Court Makes Medical Marijuana Use in Colorado More Complicated

2012-02-29

A new ruling by the Colorado Court of Appeals states that people on probation are prohibited from possessing or using medical marijuana. In the case of People v. Watkins, the defendant, as part of a plea agreement, pled guilty to a class 3 felony, for which he was sentenced to six years of probation. As part of his probation, the defendant agreed to certain terms and conditions, including that he would "not violate any laws." A few months after being sentenced to probation, the defendant received a certificate from the state that allowed him to possess and ...

States Consider Deregulating Marijuana; Pressure Congress to Consider Federal Legislation

2012-02-29

In the wake of increase and support for medical marijuana, there appears to be a notable decrease in support for banning marijuana. The state of California, for instance, would like to consider legalizing pot for recreational use. And, prominent politicians in Utah argue that legalization for marijuana may be the only way to impose effective regulations for drug possession. However, marijuana continues to be banned under federal law. Under federal law, marijuana is on the list of controlled substances. Essentially, this means that even though state laws are in place ...

Prenuptial Discussions Make Couples Stronger

2012-02-29

Many couples are initially resistant to the idea of a prenuptial agreement. At first glance, this sentiment is understandable: the prospect of planning for a possible split before the marriage even begins hardly strikes a romantic chord. Yet, this kneejerk reaction to prenuptial agreements is misguided at best, and at worse, can actually end up damaging the relationship between two people who love each other. Prenuptial agreements are important: they protect prospective married couples in more ways than one. If you are planning to marry in New York or New Jersey, you ...

Don't Let Your Playlist Get You Killed

2012-02-29

A recent survey headed by Maryland pediatric emergency physician Dr. Richard Lichenstein and published in the medical industry journal Injury Prevention shows a sharp uptick in the number of deaths of pedestrians wearing headphones being struck by vehicles. Some of the fatal injuries involved pedestrians even being struck by trains that -- witnesses reported -- had blown their whistles and tried to avoid the accident by warning the pedestrian. Details of the Study's Methodology The research team combed reports issued to the Consumer Products Safety Commission, Internet ...

Inadvertent Contracts Over Email - How to Avoid Business Litigation

2012-02-29

As the nuances of day-to-day business operation become more complex, Chenoweth Law Group is here to help you avoid unnecessary business & commercial litigation. Everyday, business professionals send and receive dozens, if not hundreds, of emails. In 2009, approximately 247 billion email messages were sent every day (ABC News). For many professionals, the volume of work emails sent and received can be overwhelming. As professionals attempt to wade through the daily email morrass as quickly as possible, they should be aware that even quick, seemingly innocuous emails ...

How accurate are rapid flu tests?

2012-02-29

A new study conducted by researchers from McGill University, the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI MUHC), and Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, has put the accuracy of rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDTs) under the microscope. The meta-analysis of 159 studies showed three key findings: that RIDTs can be used to confirm the flu, but not to rule it out; that test accuracy is higher in children than it is in adults; and that RIDTs are better at detecting the more common influenza A virus than they are at detecting ...

Immortal worms defy aging

2012-02-29

Researchers from The University of Nottingham have demonstrated how a species of flatworm overcomes the ageing process to be potentially immortal. The discovery, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is part of a project funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and Medical Research Council (MRC) and may shed light on the possibilities of alleviating ageing and age-related characteristics in human cells. Planarian worms have amazed scientists with their apparently limitless ability to regenerate. Researchers ...

Ice Age coyotes were supersized compared to coyotes today, fossil study reveals

2012-02-29

Durham, NC — Coyotes today are pint-sized compared to their Ice Age counterparts, finds a new fossil study. Between 11,500 and 10,000 years ago — a mere blink of an eye in geologic terms — coyotes shrunk to their present size. The sudden shrinkage was most likely a response to dwindling food supply and changing interactions with competitors, rather than warming climate, researchers say. In a paper appearing this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers studied museum collections of coyote skeletons dating from 38,000 years ago to the present ...

Does Your Car Get Less MPG Than Advertised? Legal Article By Tim Wigington

2012-02-29

Have you purchased an automobile based on its advertised fuel economy? Have you found that when you actually take the car out on the road the average gas mileage is much less than advertised? If so, you might be able to sue your automobile manufacturer in small claims court for misleading advertising. The attorneys at Chenoweth Law Group can help you assess your environmental litigation options, and then help you prepare the evidence and arguments necessary to argue a small claims court case. Recently, a California woman successfully sued Honda in small claims court ...

Research offers insight to how fructose causes obesity and other illness

2012-02-29

AURORA, Colo. (Feb. 27, 2012) - A group of scientists from across the world have come together in a just-published study that provides new insights into how fructose causes obesity and metabolic syndrome, more commonly known as diabetes. In this study which was performed in lab animals, researchers found that fructose can be metabolized by an enzyme that exists in two forms. One form appears to be responsible for causing how fructose causes fatty liver, obesity, and insulin resistance. The other form may actually protect animals from developing these features in response ...

Distracted Driving Law Proposed in Arizona

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES: