Should you hold your phone and drive in Alabama? Our legislature is considering a ban. Some states already do prohibit it – one of those is Georgia.

You should know by now that you cannot text and drive in Alabama. I mean, you can physically do it, but it is illegal, and you can get yourself into some real trouble.

I have had injury cases involving texting and driving. You simply cannot safely do both at the same time.

Now we, as a state, must decide if holding a phone causes the same danger. You may think that the issue is:  can you talk and drive at the same time? That isn’t really it. The issue is can you drive with one hand. If there is danger, can you control all that metal with one hand off the wheel?

The proposed law does let you use hands-free devices like Bluetooth.

We do have a cell phone problem in Alabama. I see injured people every day, and way too often, the case involves cell phone use. That is not all that surprising; since it seems you cannot drive around Mobile and not see a driver on their phone. I mean you can see the phone. Often the driver is looking at the screen.

I notice it especially among younger drivers. It is my strong guess that there is not a high school in our area in which a student has not been injured or killed because of cell phone use.

My advice? Do what is right. Don’t drive distracted. Also, it wouldn’t hurt to keep both hands on the wheel.

If you or a loved one is injured, you can talk to us at the  Law Firm of Eiland and Ritchie  for free. We help all kinds of people and if we can’t help, we will tell you who can.

Also join us on  NBC 15 LawCall  here in Mobile every Sunday night at 10:30 right after the news. We will take your calls live.

Allen Ritchie

Alabama Personal Injury Lawyer

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