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High Rage of Texting While Driving Violations in Lycoming County, PA

A study out of Pennsylvania recently found that texting while driving violations continue to cause problems throughout the state. Texting while driving is illegal in Pennsylvania, and for good reason. The U.S. Department of Transportation and National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration note that there were 3,328 people killed in distraction related crashes in 2012 alone.

Texting while driving is one of the leading causes of distraction and, according to the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, increases the risk of involvement in a car crash by three times.

More On The Study

The Center for Rural Pennsylvania conducted the study, and based the findings on data collected by AAA Mid-Atlantic and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. According to the study, there were 22.8 driving violations per 100,000 drivers in Lycoming County. Neighboring Potter County had even more violations, with 69.3 per 100,000. Centre County was found to have 45.7 violations, Snyder County reported at 32.5 and Cameron had 51.6.

The study, Datagram: Texting While Driving Violations Per Licensed Driver By County, 2013, breaks down the number of violations by county and covers the entire state.

Texting And Driving In Pennsylvania

As noted above, texting while operating a motor vehicle is illegal in Pennsylvania. More specifically, the law makes it an offense to use phones, PDAs, smart phones or computers, defined as Interactive Wireless Communication Devices or IWCDs, to send, read or write texts. Those who violate this law can receive a $50 monetary penalty.

Additional penalties generally result if a violation leads to an accident. Those who are injured because another driver was texting may be able to receive compensation. This can help cover the costs of medical treatment, rehabilitation and lost wages. A citation for texting while driving can be used to help establish negligence.

Negligence is a legal term that occurs in car accidents when a driver does not operate his or her vehicle with care. This lack of care then leads to an accident injuring another. Establishing negligence can be difficult and is just one legal theory that may be available to hold a driver accountable for the injuries caused in an accident. As a result, those who are injured in a car accident should contact an experienced Pennsylvania auto accident attorney. This legal professional will review your case and help to better protect your legal rights and any potential for remedies.