Distracted Driving Citation For Wearing New Device Tossed Out Of Court

We have all seen and read news stories regarding the dangers of distracted driving in recent years. Distracted driving has always been a problem in one way or another, but it has become a hot-button issue recently because of the introduction of so many different types of technologies that can be used while driving. The most common culprit these days appears to be the cell phone, whether it’s used to have conversations or to send or read emails or text messages.

Studies have shown just how dangerous distracted driving is, particularly if technology is involved. We should all also realize that technology is far from being done with its advancement. There are things that are about to become available that would have been beyond the wildest imaginations of consumers even a few years ago. One of those products that’s set to be released to the public this year is Google Glass.

There are a few people that are already testing it, but one person in Southern California had to explain herself for where she was testing Google Glass in court after being cited for distracted driving in October. An article describing the situation can be found here.

A woman was driving on a freeway in San Diego County when she was pulled over for speeding. She was wearing her Google Glass headset, which displays a small computer screen in the corner of a person’s eye. The ticketing officer cited her not only for speeding, but for using a monitor while driving, as California has strict restrictions on the use of mobile electronic devices while behind the wheel. The driver fought the citation in court. The citation was dismissed because it could not be proven that the driver’s Google Glass device was in operation while the motorist was driving. Clearly, this situation brought the question of what constitutes distracted driving back to the surface in terms of advancing technology.

Legislators in Delaware, New Jersey and West Virginia have introduced bills that would ban the use of Google Glass while driving a vehicle. We should be thankful that this issue did not reach the courthouse because a terrible car accident occurred where someone was badly injured or even killed. It’s likely that these types of cases will continue to arise in the future as new forms of technology are invented and introduced to the consumer market.

The bottom line for any Las Vegas accident lawyer who represents a person who was wrongfully injured in a crash is that anything that makes a driver dangerous behind the wheel because he or she is not paying attention should lead to a finding of negligence on the part of that driver. If you or someone you love has been harmed in a crash because someone was not focusing on the road at the time, you need to take action. Seek the help of Las Vegas injury lawyers who have been fighting for the rights of clients for 30 years. Contact High Stakes Injury Law today to schedule a free initial consultation.