In the wake of a deadly train crash outside of Los Angeles, attention has turned to the hazards associated with text-messaging.
On Sept. 12, a Metrolink commuter train ran a red light and collided head-on with a freight train. Twenty-five people, including the engineer of the commuter train, Robert M. Sanchez, died in the accident and more than 130 were injured.
According to investigators, phone records revealed that Sanchez had sent and received text messages while operating the train, though it has not yet been determined whether he was doing so at the time of the crash.
On Sept. 18, the California Public Utilities Commission issued a temporary ban on the use of cell phones by on-duty railroad engineers, brakemen, conductors or rail transit vehicle operators. The state regulatory body cited both the Sept. 12 accident as well as a crash that occurred on June 14 in San Francisco in which an engineer’s cell phone use may have played a role in the crash.
As a recent study by the British firm Transport Research Laboratory shows, texting isn’t just dangerous for train engineers. Researchers tested 17 automobile drivers aged 17-24 in a simulator discovered that reaction time was slowed by 35 percent when drivers were reading or writing text messages. The reaction time of drivers who were under the influence of marijuana slowed by 21 percent. Driving while under the influence of alcohol delayed reaction time by 12 percent.
If you have been hurt in a motor vehicle accident resulting from the negligence of another or a loved one has been hurt or killed in such an accident, please contact our attorneys for legal assistance as soon as possible.
The lawyers of Carey, Danis & Lowe are experienced in helping people who have been hurt as a result of the negligence of another. We will seek compensation for past and future medical expenses, past and future wages, pain and suffering, disability and other damages. We also represent family members in wrongful death cases.
