Effective January 1, 2010, using your mobile device can get you a ticket, but worse, they cause accidents which sometimes cause injuries to you and others for life. Bottom line, wait to use your mobile device, focus on the road and be respectful of others around you–especially while doing 65 m.p.h. down the highway. Mobile devices are shown to cause distractions and having handled numerous auto accidents, our firm learns that Defendants were often using mobile devices just before an accident and our clients pay dearly with life-altering injuries.
Illinois House Bills 71 and 72 were signed in August of 2009 by Governor Pat Quinn and according to a summary of the laws on the State of Illinois web site here:
The new laws ban motorists from sending text messages while driving in Illinois, and make it illegal to talk on a cell phone while driving through a highway construction zone or school zone. In addition, it will become illegal to compose, send or read text messages, instant messages and e-mail on a cell phone or surf the internet while driving. The ban also includes personal digital assistants and portable or mobile computers, but does not include global positioning systems (GPS) or navigation systems.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates, driver distraction from all sources contributes to 25 percent of all police-reported traffic crashes. If you have a youth driver in the home, take 5 minutes and explain the ramifications of using a mobile device while driving. Plead with them to wait a few minutes before using their mobile devices. And even adults need to put the devices down, keep their eyes on the road and help make the roads a safer place for all.
If you are in an automobile accident and you believe the person who hit you was using a mobile device, pointedly ask the person (if you can have a civil conversation with him or her) if they were using a cell phone or texting when they hit you. If they admit it, tell the police officer that comes to the scene to at least make a note of it in the police report even if the police do not issue a ticket and ask the police officer to confirm the conversation. Contact us 24/7/365 (and we really mean that as wewill answer our phone) if you have any questions about how such an accident could affect your claim against that driver.