Texting While Driving Still Legal in Texas

By Rasansky McKenzie

Texting while driving is unfortunately still legal in many parts of Texas.

UPDATE: Texas has FINALLY passed a law banning texting and driving.
On June 17, 2011, Texas Governor Rick Perry vetoed legislation that would’ve put into place a ban on texting while driving. While almost EVERY other state has adopted these bans due to the risk of accidents while driving distracted, our governor sees it as “a government effort to micromanage the behavior of adults.”
There are currently two major distracted driving laws in Texas. The first one prohibits drivers from using their cell phones in school crossing zones. This ban applies specifically to hand-held cell phones. The other distracted driving law affects teenagers and bans them from using text messaging devices and cellular phones when they are driving.

Distracted driving.

The reason that many other states adopted bans on texting while driving is the amount of accidents it causes. Distracted drivers can be every bit as dangerous as drunken drivers and, because of that, many legislatures have acted to put a ban on using text messaging devices while driving.
If you’re injured by somebody who is driving while distracted, even if they do not receive a criminal citation, you may be able to file a civil lawsuit in order to recover the money they owe you.

Is it negligence?

Many lawsuits center on negligence. Negligence means that someone did not exercise the appropriate care to prevent someone else from coming to harm. In automobile accidents, negligent driving is oftentimes what lies behind any lawsuit.
Accident attorneys represent clients who have suffered financial or physical harm, or both, because somebody else was negligent. If somebody was texting while driving or driving in an otherwise distracted manner, and if that person hurt you because of them not being aware of what was going on around them, we recommend that you speak with an attorney.
Lawyers that represent people who are injured because of the actions of negligent drivers oftentimes work on a contingency basis. This means that you don’t actually have to pay them any legal fees unless they manage to win you a settlement from the other driver or an award from a jury.
While driving and texting may not be illegal all over Texas, is certainly dangerous. If somebody injured you because they were driving while they were distracted, there’s no reason that you should have to pay for all of the medical costs and other costs associated with the injuries. Call us at (214) 651-6100 and let us explain the options available to you.

About the Author

Anyone can hire a lawyer, but if you want to give yourself the best possible chance at success, call the experienced attorneys at Rasansky McKenzie. You only get one chance to bring your case before a court. Let them put their expertise to work for you.