Texting while driving is a serious problem that needs to be eliminated, federal safety investigators determined after studying a deadly Missouri multiple-vehicle accident that was preceded by a string of cell phone messages. According to investigators, the August 2010 fatal motor vehicle accident began when a pickup slammed into the back of a tractor truck and was then rear-ended by a school bus, which was struck by a second school bus.
The driver of the pickup, a 19-year old Missouri driver, exchanged 11 texts in the minutes before the massive pileup. The Missouri multi-vehicle crash killed the driver of the pickup, one other driver or passenger and injured 38. Cell phone texting & driving is illegal in Missouri for drivers under the age of 21.
NTSB Investigations Into the Dangers of Texting and Driving
In the past few years, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has investigated a number of deadly crashes involving everything from cars and trucks to a train and a boat that were triggered by distracted drivers using their cell phones. The Missouri incident, which involved the teen's pickup truck, two school buses and a tractor-trailer, was the final straw.
The Show-Me State attempted earlier this year to pass a law that would ban texting and the use of handheld devices for all drivers, but the House-approved legislation ran out of time and was not passed. For now, Missouri remains one of 15 states without a universal texting-while-driving ban. While a number of states have laws preventing certain drivers — novice and bus drivers, mainly — from using cell phones while driving, no state currently prohibits cell phone use entirely.
That may change if the NTSB has its way. In a December press release, the NTSB recommended banning the use of cell phones, including hands-free devices, while driving for any purpose other than emergencies. GPS navigational systems and devices that aid driver safety would still be allowed under the NTSB's recommendation.
The Board says the problem of texting while driving is getting worse despite increased measures to ban it in practice. Using cell phones everywhere, in the car or elsewhere, has become a common practice for many Americans.
The NTSB acknowledges its endorsement may be unpopular with many, but adds that no call, text or update is worth a life. The group cannot pass or alter laws on its own. State and congressional lawmakers and federal regulators do look to the NTSB's recommendations when shaping new legislation or regulations.
If nothing else, the influential team of safety inspectors suggests more aggressive enforcement of cell phone bans already in place. Projects in certain metro areas throughout the United States that involved intense public education campaigns and increased ticketing produced compelling reductions in distracted driving, according to the NTSB.
Preventing additional fatal car accidents in Missouri and Southern Illinois starts with each driver deciding not to text while behind the wheel. If you or a loved one were injured due to a distracted driver's negligence, a Missouri car accident attorney can explain your options for recovery.
