Maryland Injury Attorney Blog
Some of us remember a time when people got in their cars to go someplace, and they just drove. No cell phones to distract us. Sure, we ate snacks and fidgeted with the radio. But the idea of taking a phone call while driving was, back then, unimaginable to those of us born before the digital revolution changed how we communicate.
Now, our cars have become rolling extensions of our homes and offices, as most everyone seems to be talking on mobile phones while they drive. Hands-free mobile phone systems have enabled motorists to put down their hand-held cell phones — which is the law, in states like Maryland that have a hands-free cell phone law on the books. In addition, in 2014, Maryland enacted Jake’s Law, increasing penalties for distracted driving, including those resulting in serious injury or death, with potential fines of up to $5,000 and up to three years of jail time. Jake Owen was a 5-year-old boy killed in a Maryland distracted driving accident in 2011.
Despite hands-free cell phone usage laws in states like Maryland across the country, some drivers cannot resist the urge to use their hand-held devices. Texting while driving — including sending and receiving messages, and interacting with social media — remains a deadly threat to the motoring public, as it combines visual, manual, and cognitive distraction.
Now, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced a new public safety campaign aimed at stopping distracted drivers before they cause injury or death.