Police Ticket Hundreds of Virginia Drivers for Texting and Driving

By Peter DePaolis
Attorney

Over 300 drivers have been stopped and cited in Virginia for texting while driving since the commonwealth’s new law went into effect this year. Officials with the Virginia State Police say that between July 1 and September 28, state troopers issued 328 citations to drivers caught with their phones in their hands.

Maryland, the District of Columbia and Virginia have all made sending and reading text messages while driving a primary offense over the past several years, meaning that law enforcement officers can pull drivers over specifically for violating this law.

First-time offenders receive a $125 ticket, while subsequent violations cost $250 each.

Texting While Driving and other Cell Phone Accident Dangers

Cell phone use while driving distracts drivers both visually and mentally, and kills thousands of people annually in transportation accidents. Our firm is trying to increase public awareness of cell phone dangers behind the wheel and to prevent unnecessary car accident injuries and deaths.

Texting while driving is an even bigger problem than talking while driving. When you type or read a text message, your attention is completely away from the road, and you have little or no physical control over the vehicle. The result of increased texting while driving is more fatal car accidents. The American Journal of Public Health disclosed that 16,000 people have died in the U.S. between 2001 and 2007 because of texting while driving.

If a driver on a cell phone has injured you or has injured or killed a family member in a motor vehicle accident, you may have the right to compensation for that driver’s negligence. Contact our Virginia injury attorneys today at (703) 218-4410 for a free consultation.

Did You Know: A 2006 study by the University of Utah showed that a driver using a cell phone is just as dangerous as a drunk driver.

Koonz, McKenney, Johnson & DePaolis L.L.P.

Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Virginia Injury Attorneys

About the Author
Peter DePaolis joined the firm in 1980 and has since represented a large number of individuals involved in automobile collisions, truck accidents, bus crashes, defective products, and medical malpractice cases. A significant portion of Mr. DePaolis’ practice is devoted to working on behalf of people suffering from asbestosis, mesothelioma, and other asbestos-related cancers. He has led his firm’s fight against the asbestos industry and has recovered over $30 million in damages for asbestos victims and their families.