A new device could soon be used by your local Mississippi law enforcement that is known as the breathalyzer for texting by distracted drivers.
Due to a growing epidemic of car accidents caused by distracted drivers, a company is developing a device that reveals whether drivers were texting at the time of the crash.
New York aims to be the first state which passes a bill authorizing police to use the Textalyzer device, with New Jersey, Tennessee, and Chicago to follow. This will become a big help for law enforcement because right now the only way police can find out if a driver was distracted with their phone is by getting a search warrant to download that data. The Textalyzer will let them investigate at the exact time of showing up to the scene of the accident.
The device can report the exact time when the phone was swiped or clicked, but does not reveal the text of any message sent or other content of the phone. Law enforcement can use the read out as evidence to seek a warrant to determine exactly what was happening on the phone at the exact time of the accident, something that currently takes months.
Almost all of the United States has laws banning the use of phones for texting while driving, but the rules are widely disregarded. With distracted driving being out of control, up to 40,000 people die in motor vehicle accidents. In the year 2015 alone, Mississippi had over 600 traffic fatalities, and in 2016 the number was up even higher. Just this past year, Mississippi led the nation in child car crash fatalities, 3 children per 100,000.
Many experts are saying that this device will be the “breathalyzer” for our electronics when it comes to distracted driving.
If you or a loved one have been affected by a motor vehicle accident, contact the Mississippi Attorneys at Chhabra & Gibbs, P.A. by calling 601-948-8005 or by going to our website and using our live chat or contact form.
