Poster Child For Not Texting And Driving Lives On In Memory
Apr 12, 2013
Austin, TX (Law Firm Newswire) April 11, 2013 – This case was deadly. The family that lost their son, as a result of a texting driver, fought for legislation to stop the behavior.
“This was one of those cases that was depressing and exhilarating at the same time,” commented Austin personal injury attorney Bobby Lee, of Lee, Gober and Reyna in Austin, Texas. “The victim, a young man in the wrong place at the wrong time, ended up dead by the side of the road after another driver ran into him as he was trying to move his disabled car to a safer location.”
The victim had run out of gas, and knowing he could not leave his car where it was on the freeway, he got out and started pushing it to a safer spot. The other driver, too busy with text messages, smashed into his car and killed him instantly. Police were clear in their report relating to the incident, that the cause of the crash, and the young man’s death, was texting by the other driver.
“As it turned out, the other driver sent and/or received at least nine text messages in the nine minutes before death came to call for the man pushing his car. The report also stated the final text was read just seconds before the man was hit and a 911 call went out. Those text messages were presented in court,” said Lee.
The devastating thing about this case is that it failed in court, because the current law in Connecticut is that texting while driving is a minor traffic infraction, and is not considered to be the basis for reckless driving. The young man’s parents were determined not to rest until they effected a change to that law —- to help others, and put a stop to senseless accidents. The law, once signed by the state governor, would make texting while driving a primary offense and kick up the penalty.
“It’s a real eye-opened to know that LOL, C U L8TR, and YA have the power to change lives in an ugly way through life-altering injuries, or to kill. People need to realize that a driver who is texting while driving is 23 times more likely to be in a wreck. With teens it is worse, as they do not have much experience driving. Having said that though, it is not rocket science to know that if you take your eyes off the road, you could end up in the hospital or a coffin,” Lee pointed out.
To learn more, visit Austin personal injury lawyer and http://www.rwleelaw.com.
Lee, Gober and Reyna
11940 Jollyville Road, Suite 220-S
Austin, Texas 78759
Phone: 512.478.8080
