Oakland-San Francisco Attorney Comments on Texting While Driving

An 18-year-old woman from Rohnert Park named Kaitlyn Dunaway was charged with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter for allegedly running over a 2-year-old girl, according to sfgate.com. Dunaway was distracted by texting when she crashed her vehicle in to Cali Murray and Cali’s mothers as they walked through a cross walk holding hands on December 1st. Cali was killed and her mother was seriously injured. Dunaway has not been arrested, but she has been issued a citation letter to appear Thursday in Sonoma County Superior Court. If she is convicted, she could spend as much as a year in county jail. Dunaway is freshman at Sonoma State University and is considered a standout volleyball player who attended Petaluma High School. It is shame that she might have to suffer such heavy consequences for what, on the ground level, looks like such a small thing–the sending of a text.

Texting while driving has been banned because it has become a public health issue. The wireless communications law took effect on January 1, 2009, making it infraction to write, send, or read text-based communication on an electronic wireless communications device, such as a cell phone, while driving a motor vehicle. Some believe that making texting while driving a felony would be a good way to deter people from doing it. But what about texting while walking? Shouldn’t there be a ban on that as well? According to Ohio State University researchers, pedestrian texting accidents let to more than 1,000 emergency room visits in 2008. CTIA-The Wireless Association reported that Americans sent 1 trillion texts in 2008 and sent 2.1 trillion in 2010. That is a lot of people not paying attention to their surroundings. Whether you are driving and texting, or texting and walking, the message is clear: Texting via any means is hazardous and puts people at risk for injury.

If you or a loved one suffered an injury due to the negligence of another, please contact our firm for a free consultation. Our auto and pedestrian accident attorney is focused on helping victims receive the maximum compensation for their losses. With offices conveniently located in Oakland and San Francisco, we make it easy for Bay Area residents to meet with our experienced personal injury attorney.

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