Georgia Passes Hands Free Cell Phone Law: Will Louisiana Follow?

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 16 states and the District of Columbia currently ban the use of hand-held cell phones for all drivers. On July 1, Georgia joins this list of states by enacting a tough, no-tolerance law that places heavy fines on drivers who even touch a cell phone while driving. Louisiana has yet to pass a full ban on hand-held cell phone use. Should it?

Currently, in Louisiana, if you have a learner’s permit, you are not permitted to use a hand-held cell phone. The laws are even more restrictive for minor drivers. Drivers under 18 years of age, are barred from using a cell phone while driving–period. Drivers who have just been issued a driver’s license are not permitted to use a cell phone behind the wheel for the first year they have their permit.

Yet, are these laws sufficient? Every year, over 3,000 people are killed on U.S. roads due to distracted driving. Hundreds of thousands more are injured. Increases in car accidents in recent years has been blamed on the popularity of smart phone usage.

Yet, Louisiana may soon follow Georgia and the other 16 states that have banned drivers from touching their cell phones while driving. According to , a bill that would make it illegal for all drivers to touch their cell phone has passed the House and is waiting to be heard by the Senate. As more people are hurt or killed by distracted driving, family advocates and lawmakers have become more vocal about passing zero tolerance laws. Some have compared the passage of no tolerance cell phone laws to seat belt laws. Until the laws for seat belt use were passed in all 50 states, seat belt use was not very high. Yet, when the laws were finally passed, more people used seat belts and more lives were saved.

Families who have lost loved ones in car crashes or who have been injured in accidents due to distracted driving know firsthand how deadly choosing to pick up a phone while driving can be. Until Louisiana passes tougher laws, families still have the option to pursue lawsuits against those who drive while distracted. Personal injury lawsuits against distracted drivers send a strong message that this kind of driving won’t be tolerated. Those who do it, will have to pay.

Were you or a loved one hurt in a motor vehicle accident due to distracted driving? If so, the The Bowling Christiansen Law Firm are personal injury lawyers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana who may be able to help you seek damages for your medical bills, rehabilitation expenses, pain and suffering, and lost wages. You may have a limited amount of time to seek damages under the law. Visit us at http://www.lawbowling.com/ to learn more about your options or rights.

The Bowling Christiansen Law Firm, A Professional Law Corporation

1615 Poydras Street, Suite 1050

New Orleans, Louisiana, 70112

Phone: (504) 586-5200

Toll Free: (504) 586-5200