California’s laws against distracted driving are among the toughest in the nation. Most states have banned texting while driving, but only about a dozen have also banned the use of handheld cellphones behind the wheel. It is important to note, however, that texting and talking are not the only two distractions caused by these small electronic devices. Many drivers use the GPS navigational aids on their cellphones while the car is in motion. This could just as easily cause a car accident and it certainly looks like distracted driving, but it is not explicitly banned under California law. […]

An accident in Southern California resulted in five individuals being killed. Such an accident will obviously receive a great deal of attention. The accident occurred in Hesperia on May 11. The accident occurred in the Mojave Desert just before 7:00 a.m. Apparently a van that was being driven drifted into the other lane and crashed into a Honda sedan. The van ended up crushing the car as it landed on top of the sedan.   […]

At this point it is common knowledge that distracted driving caused by cellphone use is very dangerous. However, most people think of distracted driving as involving texting behind the wheel or being clearly distracted with one hand off the wheel holding the phone to one’s ear. This is not necessarily the only way that using a phone can be dangerous in the car. In fact, many studies have shown that using hands-free devices like headsets, speakerphone, or Bluetooth audio systems are also very distracting for drivers. A recent poll found that 70 percent of drivers who use hands-free devices say that they use these devices in [...]