Has the cell phone industry done enough to warn customers that it’s dangerous to use the devices and drive at the same time? One woman is taking her opinion to court.
Jennifer Smith is suing Samsung and Sprint Nextel in connection with a car crash that killed her mother. She hopes to prove that the companies should have foreseen the dangers and that they didn’t provide adequate warnings.
Linda Doyle died after her car was hit by a pickup truck driven by Christopher Hill in Oklahoma City on Sept. 3, 2008. Hill told police he was distracted by a cell phone call and ran a red light at 45 miles an hour, hitting Doyle’s car.
Samsung hasn’t commented on the lawsuit. Sprint Nextel “rejects the claims of negligence” and notes that it includes safety messages on packaging and in user manuals on its Web site.
Hill has taken responsibility for the crash, pleading guilty to negligent homicide, a misdemeanor. He doesn’t think the cell phone companies should be blamed.
Hill also admitted that he never read his phone’s manual.
Who is responsible for educating the public about the dangers of using a cell phone while driving? Is it the cell phone companies? Should employers have written policies warning their employees about the hazard while driving on company business? Let us know in the Comments Box below.
