If you’ve ever had your cellphone streaming while driving, you’re taking a chance at picking up a driving ticket for breaking the Indiana distracted driver’s law. While we discourage ANY use of your smartphone while driving, at D Turner Legal, LLC you can speak with a traffic violation lawyer in helping our clients defend against any purported violation of the Indiana distracted driving law. Indiana’s distracted driving law may become more stringent.
A Total Ban on Handheld Devices
In a recent speech for the Indiana State Chamber of Commerce, Governor Eric Holcomb announced his 2020 next level agenda. His agenda outlined key issues which he plans to address in the new year. A major issue, and nearly a primary issue, is a change to Indiana’s distracted driving law.
The governor is pushing for a ban on using hand-held devices while driving.
Right now, Indiana law only outlaws texting or emailing while driving. Things like posting to Facebook, Tweeting, or playing the latest version of Farmville or Candy Crush are all legal while behind the wheel. To be honest, the risk of a crash more than triples when driving while using a device and noted that 20 states have already banned their use while driving.
Handheld Devices Lead to Accidents and Death
The U.S. Department of Transportation reports that in 2012 (the most recent year data is available) 3,328 people died in crashes linked to driver distraction, and more than 421,000 more people suffered a distracted driving-related injury. As a matter of fact, close to 17 percent of all crashes, when a severe injury has occurred, was due to driver distraction.
Effective on July 1, 2011, it became unlawful to:
- Type
- Transmit
- Read e-mail
- Read text message
The penalty for texting and driving is a costly one with a potential fine of up to $500.
“When you’re texting, texting can kill. That’s not an overstatement. We just know that folks who are distracted on our highways and back roads are increasing accidents about three and a half times.” – Gov. Eric Holcomb
The governor also told reporters, that he thinks police will be able to enforce the ban, despite difficulty they’ve had in enforcing the ban on texting.
As of now it’s difficult for the police to prove that someone using a phone while driving is specifically texting. Since the distracted driving law was passed it’s become more common for people to use platforms like Facebook, Netflix or YouTube to stream movies and shows on their smartphones and tablets as technology has reached new levels.
Because it is so difficult for police to distinguish between the two, a traffic defense attorney such as D Turner Legal, LLC can help you with a potential defense to this often-mistaken moving violation. Just call 317-721-4783 today!