On July 1, 2018, Arizona passed its first statewide law banning texting while driving for teenagers aged 16-18. While the law fails to address the overarching problem of distracted driving, since it applies only to a small subset of the population, it is a step in the right direction. As it currently stands, Arizona is one of two states in the country that does not completely ban texting while driving for all drivers. Attorney Brian Snyder joined Good Morning Arizona to discuss the new law and the impact it will have on our state.
The new law applies only to 16-18 year olds who are within the first 6 months of getting their license. Police officers are not permitted to pull the driver over only for texting while driving, though. Instead, it is a secondary offense, meaning that there has to be another reason to pull the driver over. If someone is texting while driving, though, chances are that h or she is drifting in the lane or driving carelessly. Doing so is enough for an officer to pull the person over. A first offense is a $75 fine. A second offense is a $100 fine and one month gets added on to the probationary period. For a third offense, the driver is fined $100 and loses his or her license for one month.
Distracted driving causes over 400,000 injuries per year. It is a major epidemic that needs to be addressed. Otherwise, injuries and deaths will continue to occur at a rapid rate. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured when a distracted driver crashed into your car, please do not wait. Contact us today so we can help. Snyder and Wenner is a proud supporter of End Distracted Driving, and Brian Snyder is available to speak at local high schools on the dangers of distracted driving.
Snyder & Wenner is proud to announce that on April 2, 2018, one day before he was set to start a 4 week trial against Phoenix trucking company Houston Transport (and it’s driver), attorney Brian Snyder settled the trucking crash case against the defendants for $900,000.
On December 10, 2014, defendant truck driver James McCulloh was travelling westbound on Route 260 near Show Low. It was very foggy outside, but Mr. McCulloh decided not to slow down in his 18-wheeler, and was driving between 50-66mph in very limited visibility. At that time, plaintiff Robert Langford was driving his garbage truck on a side street that connected with Route 260. He stopped at the stop sign and looked both ways. Not seeing any vehicles coming, he turned right onto Route 260 and accelerated to 19-25mph. Mr. Langford drove 40 yards down the highway when, out of nowhere, defendant McCulloh crashed into him from behind at full speed. McCulloh never hit the brakes and never took any evasive action. The impact was so severe that plaintiff’s garbage truck flipped over, and he was knocked unconscious. Mr. Langford sustained a moderate to severe brain injury, and has been receiving treatment since the date of the injury. During litigation, defendants hired several experts to testify that plaintiff had NO injuries at all, and that he was actually to blame for the crash. Nevertheless, on the eve of trial, defendants agreed to pay $900,000 to settle the claims against them.
Trucking cases can be very complex since numerous safety rules apply to commercial vehicle drivers that do not apply to everyone else on the road. It is important to hire an attorney with experience litigating trucking crash cases so you can obtain the best possible result that you deserve.
"I've personally dealt with three of the attorneys at Snyder & Wenner and would wholeheartedly recommend them. Not only are they extremely knowledgable about their subject matter, they care very much for their clients and work very hard on every case. The lawyers are experts in their field, but also have the passion—and compassion—each client deserves."
-Emilie Williams
"Brian Snyder represented my daughter and I for injuries we sustained in a car accident. I am very happy with the representation and the outcome. Brian took care of all of the issues that arose and always stayed in constant contact with us. I would be happy to recommend Snyder & Wenner to all of my family and friends."
-Devi O.
Snyder & Wenner, PC
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