Using a Cell Phone While Driving in Tennessee

Several states have already enacted laws banning the use of hand-held cell phones while driving.  Currently, Tennessee is not one of them.  In Tennessee, you are allowed to use a cell phone while operating your vehicle, but there is a chance that the law could eventually change.

Research has shown that using a cell phone while driving increases the risk of a serious car accident.  The Harvard Center of Risk Analysis concluded from its study that using a cell hone while driving accounts for 6 percent of car crashes each year in the United States.  Even though 6 percent doesn’t seem like a high number, when you review the total number of crashes in the country, it means that 636,000 accidents, 330,000 injuries, 12,000 serious injuries and 2,600 deaths can be attributed to drivers using cell phones.

Another study was conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that showed that the majority of auto accidents happen within three seconds of a distraction.  When it comes to cell phones, that means if a driver looks down for three seconds to dial a telephone number or reaches for a ringing cell phone, the odds of causing a car accident increases.

In Sullivan County, a ban on cell phones has been proposed.  However, two of the county commission’s three primary committees said that they will not endorse the resolution to ban hand-held cell phones while driving.

The National Safety Council is lobbying for a nationwide ban on drivers using cell phones and other messaging devices while driving.  The organization is planning to lobby all 50 states plus Washington D.C. to enact laws that ban both hand-held and hands-free cell phones, as well as texting while driving.  If successful, Tennessee could join the states that ban cell phones while driving.

The article, “Will Cell Phones be Banned in Tennessee,” has more information on cell phone bans.

If you have been injured in a car accident that was caused by a distractive driver, you may be entitled to compensation.  Contact the Tennessee car accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates at (800) 337-HURT (4878) or (615) 356-2000 for expert legal advice.