Missouri Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

A report card recently released by Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety says Missouri has done a reasonable job of enforcing state traffic laws and protecting drivers. But the report card also states that Missouri lawmakers have some work to do in order to save lives on the road. According to a KY3 report, the advocacy group grades each state based on 15 laws addressing teen driving, distracted driving, drunk driving and the required use of seatbelts, child booster seats and motorcycle helmets.

Where does Missouri stand? On a scale of green to red, Missouri is a yellow. The state has continued its requirement of motorcycle helmets and booster seat laws. Lawmakers have also fixed the state's graduated licensing law for teens. However, to move to the next level, state lawmakers must adopt an all-driver texting ban, advocates say. Right now, Missouri only bans texting for drivers under 21 years of age. There are five bills that have been proposed to ban texting for all drivers. The report card also puts a new emphasis on tougher ignition interlock laws for convicted drunk drivers.

Continue reading "Missouri Lawmakers Have Need to Toughen Traffic Laws, Report States" »

Posted by John J. Page | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto Accidents , Cell Phone/Texting Accident , Law & Information , Pedestrian Accident , Personal Injury

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With the new law on the horizon banning teens from texting while driving, what better way to inform teens of the new law than to spread the word via a mass text message sent by the Governor? According to a faircitynews.com story, the Governor sent about 6,000 text messages to Springfield teens informing them of the new law. Although it is debatable whether or not teens will respond amiably towards such a message, it is understandable that the State of Missouri considered it essential to contact teens. Distracted driving in the form of texting has contributed to far too many auto accidents.

Based on the report, one teen was about to start her car when she received the text message and then allegedly “blocked” the Governor’s number. Another teen who got the message said that he was parallel parking at the time and collided with an SUV in the process of reading and parking. It is a bit ironic that an accident, although small, took place while a teen received the Governor’s message warning about the new law banning teens from texting while driving. Although this new law focuses on teen drivers, adults too should certainly take notice and choose not to text or use a cell phone while operating a motor vehicle.

It will be interesting to see how teens respond to the new law, and hopefully incidents of auto collisions involving teens will lower as a result. State officials claim that if teens do not adhere to the new ban, then a new program will be ready for implementation. Referred to as the Text-a-lizer, the new program would involve installing an application onto the mobile phones of teens. The application would then be able to detect whether or not a teen has been texting while driving. When the Text-a-lizer is activated, it will automatically turn the teen’s vehicle off, or lock out the ignition system.

Continue reading "Missouri Teens Informed of the Ban against Texting While Driving...Via Text" »

Posted by John J. Page | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto Accidents , Cell Phone/Texting Accident , Law & Information , Personal Injury

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In a press release issued today, text messaging and driving may soon be banned in all states. It will be mandated that all states ban texting while driving if they want to receive highway funding. If they do not comply with the requirement to ban texting while driving, their funding will be withheld. So far 19 states have banned texting and driving. Texting has been linked to many serious Missouri car and truck accident cases. Experienced personal injury lawyers always explore the possibility of an at fault driver texting before a crash.

Illinois is the most recent state to prohibit texting while driving. The law was signed into effect on August 6 bringing the total of states that have banned text messaging while driving to 19. It is expected that Missouri will soon follow the lead of its neighboring state.

In St. Louis, Missouri a tractor trailer accident causing multiple fatalities on Highway 40 was allegedly caused because the semi truck driver was texting while he was driving and caused a chain reaction accident. Entire families were killed during this horrendous truck accident.

According to the Automobile Club of America, the risk of having a car accident increases by 50% for those who text message and drive at the same time. With 46% of new drivers surveyed saying they text and drive, teens are the largest group texting and driving, increasing the risk of cell phone auto accidents in Missouri and throughout the nation.

Continue reading "Texting and Driving Can Be a Deadly Combination" »

Posted by John J. Page | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto Accidents , Cell Phone/Texting Accident , Personal Injury , Tractor Trailer Accident , Train Accidents , Truck Accidents , Wrongful Death

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