As a follow-up to a story that we posted a few days ago, the woman that caused a fatal car accident that took the life of a San Diego college athlete was likely texting at the time that the accident occurred. The woman was apparently so distracted that she didn't even realize that traffic on the freeway had come to a complete stop.

The consequences of such conduct are, of course, obvious and often deadly. There are too many circumstances of telephone logs showing a driver texting and responding to other texts before being involved in a fatal crash. Drivers while texting frequently rear end other motor vehicles, run red lights and remain unaware of the presence of pedestrians and children crossing the road.

The financial consequences to anyone injured in a crash often exceed hundreds of thousands of dollars of medical expenses and wage losses. It can also lead to long term hospitalization, pain and suffering and, in the worst case scenario, the loss of a loved one.

Civil litigation may be the one effective incentive in preventing future accidents from occurring due to such conduct. Drivers that are texting and then involved in motor vehicle accidents need to be held accountable for their conduct so that the message is loud and clear that texting while driving is unacceptable. Obviously, current Louisiana laws prohibiting novice drivers from using cell phones and from outright banning and driver from texting while driving are being ignored.

The woman is now facing vehicular manslaughter and gross negligence. However, such criminal charges will do little to compensate the family of the deceased.

Source: KABC-TV Los Angeles, CA, "Woman believed to be texting during fatal car crash," by Leanne Suter, Jan. 27,2012