You’re lost and need a map. Luckily, with today’s technology you can pull up a map on your smartphone to help you get to your destination. Or can you? A decision filed in March 2013 by an appellate court in Fresno, California bans drivers from using maps on their smartphones to navigate. An auto accident attorney can help explain how this court decision might affect you.
Restrictions on cell phone use are nothing new to California drivers. Since 2009, drivers have been banned from using hand-held cell phones to make calls or text while driving. Drivers can use a hands-free cell phone while driving and, under a new law effective January 2013, can use voice-activated devices to text. Under the existing laws, minors are prohibited from using cell phones under any circumstance.
Why is the new decision important? Of course, you don’t want to get a ticket. But it’s also important to remember that if you’re in an auto accident, you are looking for ways to prove the other driver was at fault. If you can gather witnesses who saw the other driver using an electronic device, your car accident lawyer can prove the other driver was at fault.
At the Law Offices of John P. Burns, we know how changes in California laws affect you, the driver, especially if you are in an accident where the other driver was using an electronic device. It’s free to ask questions, so contact us directly at (877) 320-1338, or email us at john@johnburnslaw.com. We’ll be sure to get back to you within 24 hours.