As of April 1st, distracted drivers who are caught in Greenville will be facing hefty fines. WLOS ABC News Channel 13 recently reported on the new distracted driving ban in Greenville. Community concern prompted the ban which was passed on February 10th. Hands-free devices will still be allowed, but drivers should note that the ordinance says “The act of touching a mobile device, whether it is being hand held or not, to text message is never considered hands free.”
The Fines
$100 for the first offense
$200 or the second offense $300 for each subsequent offense that occurs in the same year After the third offense, drivers can have their electronic devices seized and destroyed
National Distracted Driving Awareness Month
This ban is just in time for National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. This year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will be publicizing their “U Drive. U Text. U Pay” campaign from April 7-15. This high-visibility campaign is aimed at raising awareness about not only the dangers of distracted driving, but also the financial costs associated with texting while driving.
Distracted Driving: Just the Facts
- Each day more than nine people are killed in distracted-driving crashes across the U.S.
- More than 1,060 people are injured in distracted-driving crashes across the U.S. each day.
- In 2010, nearly one in five injury-crashes involved a distracted driver.
- In 2011, 3,331 people were killed in distracted-driving crashes.
- In 2012, more than 3,328 people were killed in crashes involving distracted drivers.
- Approximately 421,000 people were injured in crashes involving distracted drivers in 2012.
After a Crash Involving a Distracted Driver
Whether there is a distracted driving ban in effect or not, drivers who text behind the wheel are putting everybody on the road at risk. If you or a loved one is injured in a crash involving a distracted driver, you should contact an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible. Distracted driving takes many forms too, so it may not always be immediately apparent that a driver was distracted at the time of a crash. A skilled attorney can stay abreast of official investigations and look after the rights of injured victims. If you or a loved one has been injured by a distracted driver, contact the experienced team at Davis Law Group, P.A. at 866-397-2897 for a free consultation today.