New Study: Texting Bans May Cause More Accidents

An interesting twist as a new study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows that texting bans could be causing more accidents.

The report is from the IIHS's Highway Loss Data Institute; both groups are funded by automobile insurers and the report is being presented at the Governors' Highway Safety Association, meeting this week in Kansas City, Mo. It suggests some drivers lower their phones into their laps to text out of sight of police officers. Problem is, they also lower their eyes away from the road. IIHS President Adrian Lund says state lawmakers are 'focusing on a single manifestation of distracted driving and banning it. This ignores the endless sources of distraction and relies on banning one source or another to solve the whole problem'.

I agree with the idea that legislators are honing in on one type of distracted driving. Texting is only one of the many ways that drivers can be distracted while driving.

What do you think?

Automobile Accident Cases - What to Expect

You or someone you know may have been recently injured in an auto accident. You see the ads on television asking you to call a 1-800 number about representation, you see the billboards saying that the attorneys have received millions of dollars in settlements for their clients. Your expectations are that your case is worth six figures.

Not so fast. Those expectations need to be tempered and managed. A majority of auto accidents involve soft tissue injuries. While the effects can be long term, it is not reasonable to assume that you will get paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in a fender bender.

Consult an attorney, but do not be mislead by the promise of a large settlement simply because what has been achieved in unrelated cases with a different set of facts and circumstances.

How Being Convicted of a Crime Can Affect Your Career

I've had several clients who have face consequences at work because of criminal charges. The common example is the client charged with Driving under the Influence. However, clients facing charges such as theft of property also are facing the possibility of termination and losing professional licenses.

Be careful before pleading guilty to any crime even if a misdemeanor. If you are a professional, you may face additional consequences from your licensing board. Or if you are a student or applying for credentials you may be in a position where you are ineligible for future licensing.

Be Careful What you Post on Facebook, Twitter

I would say MySpace as well, but I'm not sure anyone reading this still uses that 2008 dinosaur.

Once you put something on facebook or twitter it can be used against you. Privacy settings are important, but what you say or pictures of what you did can end up in the wrong hands.

Here's an interesting article talking about social media being the Field of Dreams for Law Enforcement"

This Week in Criminal Law

Couple of Interesting Stories

Paris Hilton was arrested for possession of cocaine . It appears that it cost her boyfriend his job as a nightclub partner.

A California man a filed a lawsuit alleging that he was tased in his own home after calling the paramedics.