Houston Auto Accident Attorney At Smith & Hassler Comments On Texting While Driving Accidents Being ‘Underreported’
Houston, TX (PRWEB) October 30, 2013 -- Houston TX personal injury lawyer Albert M. Hassler III, a founding partner of Smith & Hassler law firm, said today he was not surprised by a recent news report claiming that statistics for auto accidents caused by distracted drivers in Texas are likely “vastly” underreported.
Hassler commented on an article in the Dallas Morning News (“Texas supporters of texting ban say statistics underestimate dangers of distracted driving,” Sept. 13, 2013)
“Anyone who drives in Houston or anywhere in Texas for that matter knows there are far too many people driving and texting at the same time,” said Hassler, who represents victims of negligence and families who lost loved ones in accidents. “As personal injury attorneys, we have seen firsthand the devastating impact of distracted driving accidents. This report supports what we have seen over the years, and I hope it serves as a wakeup call to drivers who continue to act recklessly and put themselves and everyone else on the road in danger.”
While there is no statewide ban, nearly two dozen Texas cities have prohibited texting while driving, according to the Dallas Morning News. Some lawmakers have supported a statewide ban on texting while driving, citing studies that link cellphone use to car accident injuries and death, according to the news report. Efforts to pass a statewide ban, however, have failed in the Texas Legislature.
Cellphone use was listed as a contributing factor in 3,283 car accidents in Texas in 2012, according to the Morning News. That’s less than 1 percent of all car accidents in Texas, where an estimated 500,000 motor vehicle accidents were reported last year.
But such figures are deceiving, according to police officers in Houston and other cities quoted in the Dallas Morning News article. Many Texas drivers refuse to admit they were talking on the phone when an accident occurred, or the police officer might list the cause of the accident as “distraction in vehicle” or “driver inattention” instead of “mobile/cellphone use,” according to the Morning News.
Hassler said drivers need to understand that cellphone use behind the wheel can have devastating consequences. “While it’s still legal in many Texas cities to text while driving, we urge motorists to avoid using their cellphones. Turn off your smartphone or keep it out of reach. If you do need to use the phone while driving, find a safe place to pull over and then do your texting or talking,” Hassler said.
Hassler said he encourages parents to speak with their teenagers, who generally text more than older adults, about the dangers of using cellphones while driving.
Hassler said anyone injured in an accident by a distracted driver should talk to a personal injury lawyer in Houston. An attorney can help an injured victim or someone who lost a loved one pursue compensation and closure. A lawyer also can help send a message that negligent driving behavior will not be tolerated in Texas.
About Smith & Hassler, Attorneys at Law
Smith & Hassler is a Houston-based personal injury law firm that handles a variety of cases involving negligence, including car accidents, truck accidents, property accidents, workplace accidents and more. Founded in 1989 by copartners Michael Smith and Albert M. Hassler III, Smith & Hassler is committed to helping injury victims obtain the compensation they need to make a meaningful difference in the quality of their lives. Smith & Hassler work on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay nothing if you don’t win.
For more information about what to do after a serious or fatal car accident in Texas and the legal options available to injury victims, call (877) 777-1529 or go to: http://www.smithandhassler.com/contact
Smith & Hassler
1445 North Loop West, Suite 700
Houston, Texas 77008
http://www.smithandhassler.com/
Jacob M Del Hagen, Big Voodoo Interactive, http://www.bigvoodoo.com, +1 (413) 650-0593, [email protected]
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