The technological advances made in the past 20 years have been unprecedented. We now live in an age where we can communicate with each other instantly—from anywhere in the world! Our phones have everything from the internet to GPS navigation to video chat capabilities. However, there have been some downsides to this rapid technological growth. For example, many of us have become so reliant on our mobile devices phones that we cannot seem to ignore the familiar “ding” of an incoming text message, even when we are behind the wheel of a car.

On average, nine people die every day due to an accident involving distracted driving and over 1,000 are injured. Of the 2.5 million people in the U.S. who are hurt in vehicular accidents each year, nearly 400,000 are injured in crashes involving a distracted driver. Some people call distracted driving an epidemic, and the problem is so bad that an estimated 25% of accidents are now caused by distracted driving.

What the Law Says

America has quickly become a well-connected nation. Virtually everyone talks to friends in other cities, states, and even other countries. Email, games, videos, and applications can be accessed almost anywhere. They do it at home, while waiting at the doctor’s office, and at coffee shops and diners. Many people are also doing it while behind the wheel. This poor driving habit – the new form of distracted driving – is on the rise, experts say. As a result, fatalities are increasing as well. If you or someone you love has been injured by a distracted driver, it is important to understand the seriousness of the situation.

Just How Big is the Problem?

For more than four decades, traffic fatalities were on the decline. Then, in 2015, traffic deaths rose by 7.5 percent. It was the biggest spike in more than 50 years. Data compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that distracted driving was responsible for an alarming percentage of those crashes. Accidents related to distracted driving also increased by a concerning 8.8 percent.

It has probably happened to you. You are driving behind another vehicle that seems to be operating rather erratically. The car keeps speeding up, slowing down, or drifting to either side of the travel lane. When you finally are able to get safely get around the car, you cannot help but to glance at the driver to see what caused the trouble, expecting to see him or her engaged in sending or reading a text message. Instead, you watch the driver seeming to talk to him- or herself, gesturing and reacting, despite being alone in the car. Then it dawns on you: the driver is in the midst of a phone conversation using a hands-free device.

Drivers are constantly reminded about the dangers of cell phone use while driving and are strongly admonished to avoid texting while driving, which is also illegal in most states, including Illinois. However, thanks to the rise in onboard vehicle technology and Bluetooth devices, many drivers do not realize that hands-free phone conversations are often just as dangerous as holding the phone to their ear.

Distracting Conversation

A picture is worth 1,000 words. Keep your private life private. Cell phones and social media can cause you to lose your Illinois divorce or child custody case.

Cellphone Photos: Nothing makes your spouse's divorce lawyer happier than photos of you doing something you shouldn't. Those jelly shots at the bar last Saturday night might seem like a good idea at the time but no take no photos. You and your divorce Judge may have differing ideas about what makes you a good parent.

Status Updates: Status updates on Twitter and Facebook are gold to divorce attorneys and can be used as evidence against you in court. A post about vacationing or spending habits may conflict with the financial status you've presented in court.

It is important to know the laws of the road in your home state, but also the laws of any other state that you may travel to as well. Sometimes, however, it is hard to keep up on laws that are created after you have learned them a different way. That is most often the case for older drivers who took drivers’ education classes before cell phones were common or before cell phone had the capabilities that they now have.

Illinois’s cell phone laws for drivers include:

1. Bus drivers cannot use cell phones at all, handheld or hands-free (Primary law)
2. Novice drivers cannot use cell phones at all, handheld and hands-free (Primary law)
3. NO driver is allowed to text (Primary law)
4. NO driver can use a cell phone while in a school zone or in a highway construction zone

These laws were created to minimize the amount of crashes caused by distracted driving, which is a fairly recent phenomenon. The government of Illinois explained distracted driving and the dangers of it for all citizens to be aware and keep safe.