Does Arizona Have a Ban on Texting While Driving?
When you are driving there should be nothing that you are focused on more than your environment and operating your vehicle. Anything that distracts your attention from the road is dangerous and can be the cause of an accident. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving was the cause of 2,841 people losing their lives in 2018. This is why the majority of the country has made texting while driving illegal. However, in Arizona, Missouri, and Montana, texting while driving has not been made illegal.
In Montana, there exists no ban on texting. In Missouri, only those drivers under the age of 21 are banned from texting while behind the wheel. For years, lawmakers in Arizona have been working hard to pass legislation banning texting, but to no avail. Now things in the state have changed and progress has been made.
Currently, it is unlawful for drivers younger than 18-years-of-age to use a cellphone or wireless device when they are driving. Recently, the state has taken a step forward towards stopping all drivers from texting while driving. Legislation banning all hand-held electronic devices while driving has been successfully passed. Beginning in January 2021 if you are texting while driving in Arizona and you are pulled over, the officer will write you a citation for distracted driving. For now, the authorities are just handing out warnings for drivers in the state. Fines can be as high as $150 for a first-time offender and $250 for repeat offenders.
The Dangers Of Texting While Driving
With over 135 million cars on the roads every day in the United States, there are enough risks for accidents without adding distractions. There is no doubt that texting while driving takes your attention off of the road and increases the likelihood of an accident. There is an average of 9 people that lose their lives each day in the country due to texting while driving. A study done on driver’s behavior found that 50 million drivers use their phones to make calls while driving and 102 million will answer a call when behind the wheel.
The Governors Highway Safety Association along with the U.S. Department of Transportation reports that 23% of accidents taking place int he country are due to texting while driving. Even though the majority of Americans support texting bans, reckless behavior still occurs. Anyone is at who is driving near another distracted driver is vulnerable to getting into an accident. When you are hit and injured by a distracted driver, you deserve to obtain compensation to help you pay for your damages including:
- Missed wages when you are unable to work
- Pain and suffering
- Medical treatment
- Property damages
A qualified Arizona serious injury attorney can help you file a personal injury claim and fight on your behalf so that you obtain the most compensation possible for the harm you suffered.
Have You Been Injured In An Arizona Car Accident?
Although, there are widespread bans across the country and soon coming to Arizona, there are more than 660,000 motorists that admit to using their phones while driving. The respected and trusted Phoenix automobile accident injury attorneys at ELG focus solely and completely on assisting those who are injured in accidents. We will help you when you have been injured by the reckless behavior of another driver in an Arizona car accident.
Call ELG today at (623) 877-3600 and schedule a completely free consultation with one of our bilingual, Spanish-speaking attorneys at either of our locations in Phoenix and Mesa, Arizona.
