Texting While Driving – What is the Illinois Law?

Monday, September 13, 2010

Texting While Driving – What is the Illinois Law?

Written by Malman Law, reviewed by Steve J. Malman.

One of the top causes of Illinois wrongful death, and wrongful death around the country, is distracted driving. What exactly constitutes distracted driving? Here is a list of a few of the top distracted driving behaviors:

• Eating and drinking
• Personal care (applying makeup, shaving, etc.)
• Reading
• Cell phone use, including talking, texting and internet use

While most of the above behaviors appear not to have a place inside a moving vehicle, when drivers are commuting long distances each day they sometimes don’t think they have a choice. And while the Illinois texting while driving law is clear (texting is clearly prohibited), there is currently no legislation in the state banning other distracted driving behaviors. For this reason, distracted driving, especially cell phone use, is a major contributor of Illinois wrongful death. Here are a few tips to help cut down on car accidents related to distracted driving:

• Turn it Off. If your cell phone rings or you receive a message while driving, you may be tempted to respond to it.
• Keep it Short. If you must make or receive a phone call, keep it short so you can return your full attention to driving safely.
• Pull Over. If it is safe to do so, pull over to use your cellular phone, eat or apply makeup.
• Plan Ahead. If you plan extra time in your morning routine, you may be able to complete tasks like eating, drinking and personal care that should ideally be taken care of at home.

By using common sense and cutting down on distractions, drivers can help prevent Illinois wrongful death statistics from climbing.