| Wireless communication has dramatically
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| | Connecticut. In 2008, California will
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| improved daily life, but mobile phone
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| | join the ranks of states banning
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| technology also has a dramatic downside:
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| | hand-held phone use by drivers. In
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| the proliferation of cell phone use by
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| | November 2006, it was determined by the
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| drivers has made the roads considerably
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| | National Conference of State Legislatures
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| more dangerous.
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| | (NCSL) that there were 14 statewide bans
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| Cell Phones are a Leading Cause of Driver
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| | on cell phone use by minors operating an
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| Distraction
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| | automobile.
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| A joint study released by the National
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| | Hands-Free is No Safety Guarantee
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| Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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| | Many drivers have switched to hands-free
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| (NHTSA) and the Virginia Tech
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| | mobile phone devices in an effort to cut
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| Transportation Institute in April 2006
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| | down on their risk of being involved in
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| concluded that nearly 80 percent of car
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| | car accidents. However, recent evidence
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| crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes
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| | suggests that even a hands-free cell
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| occur within three seconds of some kind
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| | phone presents a danger on the road.
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| of driver distraction. Dialing a cell
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| | According to the Insurance Institute for
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| phone ranked among the most dangerous
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| | Highway Safety study conducted in Perth,
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| distractions, tripling the risk of being
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| | Australia in 2005, switching from
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| involved in an auto accident. However,
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| | hand-held cell phones to hands-free
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| while dialing was extremely dangerous,
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| | devices does not reduce the risk of car
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| the study discovered that merely having a
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| | crashes. Another study conducted by the
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| conversation on the phone while driving
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| | University of Utah, and published in the
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| was less of a hazard than reaching for a
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| | summer of 2006, the issue of human
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| falling object or driving while drowy.
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| | factors also concludes that hands-free
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| However, the prevalence of cell phone use
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| | cellular phones carry the same risk as
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| by drivers makes it the one of the most
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| | hand-held phones. Research is being
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| common - and therefore most dangerous -
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| | conducted on how high the risk is of
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| factors in car and truck crashes.
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| | hands-free mobile phone devices are -- as
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| Currently, as per the NHTSA, there are
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| | many claim that the driver is more
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| more than 10 million U.S. drivers talking
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| | concentrated on a conversation via the
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| on cellular phones at any given moment,
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| | phone than on their driving skills.
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| an alarming figure given the link between
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| | It is advisable for an individual who has
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| cell phones and distracted driving.
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| | just been in an automobile accident a
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| Cell Phones Bans on the Rise
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| | driver's cell phone use increased the
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| In response to the increasing evidence
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| | chance of the wreck occuring, contacting
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| linking cellular phone use and auto
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| | a personal injury lawyer could be
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| accidents, a number of states have
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| | beneficial. Upon contact with an
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| started to ban their use on the roads.
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| | automobile accident attorney, you will
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| States with legislation restricting cell
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| | likely receive a consultation on your
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| phone use while driving include New York,
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| | case and how potential monetary
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| New Jersey, Washington, D.C. and
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| | compensation can be derived.
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