Hurst became the __ city in Texas to ban distracted driving last week. All hand-held devices, including cell phones, tablets, and games are prohibited from unless the driver has to make an emergency call, GPS or Blue Tooth is used, or has stopped away from the road.
The Hurst police chief was the chief advocate for the new rules: “Since the state isn’t doing anything on this, we wanted to follow what other cities have done.”
Texas is one of only four states in the U.S. that still allows full cell phone use and texting while driving.
You may remember that our state legislature banned these dangerous practices in 2011, only to have the new law vetoed by then Governor Rick Perry. In the next session in 2913, the bill would have passed, but Governor Greg Abbott stated he would veto it so it never passed.
He also cited a study that revealed that three-fourths of Hurst residents favored more restrictive rules. Why? The Hurst City Council changed its law after learning that there have been over 20% of crashes — 200 collisions each year –caused by distracted driving, a huge increase.
All over North Texas, people are getting crashed into by drivers who never saw them.
What can you do if this has unfortunately happened to you? Your best bet is to hire a good personal injury lawyer who can gather all evidence you need to either convince the other driver’s insurance company to reimburse you for your damages or if necessary, file a lawsuit to protect your legal rights.