A new law was put into place at the end of October regarding teens, driving and cellphone usage in Wisconsin.
The law prohibits drivers with an instructional permit or probationary license from using a hand-held or hands-free cellphone while driving (unless they need to report an emergency). Any teen caught violating this law can be fined $20-$40 on their first offense and $50-$100 for any additional offenses in a year.
Over 30 states having laws regarding cell phone usage while driving but most of them allow drivers to use a hands-free device to make and receive calls.
“In a national study, 43 percent of 16- and 17-year-olds said they have talked on a cellphone while driving and 40 percent of teens up to age 17 said they have been in a car when the driver used a cellphone in a way that put themselves or others in danger,” said Wisconsin State Patrol Maj. Sandra Huxtable, director of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Safety, in a news release.
“Traffic crashes kill more teenagers in Wisconsin and the rest of the nation than any other cause of death. And distracted driving is a factor in many of these crashes,” she said.
The Washington Post wrote an article stating that hands-free cellphone usage does not decrease accidents. This is because that using a hands-free device while driving is still distracting the driver.
Distracted drivers are the main culprit of many accidents. According to Distraction.gov, In 2010, 3092 people were killed in crashes involving a distracted driver and an estimated additional 416,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted drive
If you have been injured in an accident caused by a distracted driver, give Gutglass a call today at (414) 273-1144 or contact Gutglass, Erickson, Bonville & Larson on our website!
