A man who was accused of being under the influence of prescription drugs and texting while driving has been convicted of gross vehicular manslaughter in connection with an Orange County car accident that killed 14-year-old Danny Oates. According to a news report on CBS News' Web site, Jeffrey Woods is facing up to 10 years in prison and his sentencing is scheduled for December 11. Danny Oates was killed in August 2007 as he rode his bicycle to school. Woods' defense attorney tried to convince the jury that his client had a seizure when he was driving his pickup truck.

Justice Served in Fatal Bicycle Accident Case

My heart goes out to the family and friends of Danny Oates for whom this jury verdict must have given some sense of closure and justice. The loss of a child is still a tremendous one that remains with parents for the rest of their lives. However, in this case, jurors saw through a flimsy defense for what it was and reached the correct decision by finding Woods guilty.

This tragedy is a grim reminder to all of us that texting and driving or driving under the influence of drugs can have devastating, long-reaching effects. Driver distractions are the leading cause of most car accidents and near crashes, according to a recent study released by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI). The study states that 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near crashes involve some form of driver distraction. In a majority of these incidents, the distraction occurs within three seconds of the motor vehicle crash.

Distracted Driving is a Leading Cause of Accidents

The most common cause of distracted driving according to this study is cell phone use and that includes texting or sending/receiving e-mails while driving. Other causes include reading; looking at an object or event outside the vehicle; applying makeup; and reaching for a moving object inside the vehicle. The study states that drivers who engage more frequently in distracted driving are also more likely to be involved in a car accident or near accident.

Both texting while driving and driving under the influence are serious violations of the California Vehicle Code. However, a scary percentage of California drivers continue to drive under the influence and continue to text while driving. A majority of them are not caught. And maybe they don't get into an accident because they have been lucky so far. But if those habits continue, it's not a question of "if" but "when" a tragedy might occur. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured as a result of a distracted or negligent driver, please contact a reputed Orange County personal injury claim lawyer, who will help fight for your rights and obtain justice and fair compensation for your loss.

We are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not a fault" persons named in this article and their family members.