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A recent tragedy in a D.C. intersection stands as a reminder of the heartbreaking consequences that can result when someone chooses to use their phone while driving. On Dec. 19, 41-year old Gerard Derrick James hit and killed two pedestrians in an intersection while driving a D.C. tour bus. The victims were an Alaskan mayor, 61-year-old Monica Adams, and her mother, 85-year-old Cora Louise Adams.

After the crash, nearby surveillance footage revealed that James was answering a phone call when he hit the two women, trapping and dragging one of them underneath the bus. He was later arrested on two counts of involuntary manslaughter.

Unfortunately, this is far from an isolated incident. In 2017, drivers using cell phones caused 1,587 car crashes in the state of Virginia alone. Seven of these crashes were fatal, 587 caused injuries, and 993 destroyed or damaged property. While drivers themselves were injured most frequently, accidents such as the one caused by James highlight the dangers that cell phone use poses for others as well.

End Distracted Driving (EndDD) is an initiative that aims to save lives by educating, advocating, and taking action to prevent distracted driving accidents. According to EndDD, distracted driving is typically caused by one or more of three main types of driving distractions:

–       Manual distractions cause drivers to move their hands off of the wheel.

–       Visual distractions cause drivers to move their eyes away from the road.

–       Cognitive distractions cause drivers to lose focus and think about something other than driving.

Cell phone use, and texting in particular, encompasses all three types of distractions, making it particularly dangerous to do: texting while driving increases a driver’s risk of crashing by 23 times.

While it is common knowledge that using a phone while driving is dangerous, more people than would like to admit are guilty of taking an occasional call or sending off a “quick” text message on the road. I urge you to steer clear from this dangerous behavior so that roads are safer for everybody.

As an experienced and devoted personal injury attorney, I am determined to hold distracted drivers accountable for the pain and suffering that they caused. If a distracted driving accident has impacted you or a loved one, or you would be interested in having me speak to a group about the dangers of distracted driving, call us at 703-836-3366, email tcurcio@curciolaw.com, or visit us at curciolaw.com and we will follow up with you right away.

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