Oregon Injury Lawyer Blog
With Oregon distracted driving on the minds of many motorists as the state’s new ban on the use of hand-held cellphones and texting by drivers takes effect, a court case in California last week became the latest important legal decision to remind everyone how serious an issue this is.
According to the Associated Press, a 42 year old California man has been sentenced to four years in prison following a car accident in which he struck and killed a pedestrian. Martin Kuehl was texting as he drove through the southern California city of Newport Beach in August 2008. According to the AP, “prosecutors argued that he had an unobstructed view of the crosswalk” where he struck and killed the pedestrian, but “failed to slow down or break in any way.”
Interestingly, the accident took place one month before California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation banning texting behind the wheel throughout the state. That fact is an important reminder that the consequences of Portland distracted driving can go far beyond those directly related to the Oregon distracted driving law.
The criminal penalties mandated by the new Oregon distracted driving law are relatively mild compared to the civil and criminal sanctions that could result from a serious Oregon auto accident. If you, or a loved one, have been injured in a Portland, Salem or Eugene car crash the assistance of an Oregon car crash injury lawyer is a crucial part of your struggle to achieve a just outcome after falling victim to a tragedy.
AP in the San Francisco Chronicle: OC Driver Gets 4 Years for Fatal Texting Accident
San Francisco Chronicle: California bans text messaging while driving
