The National Transportation Safety Board announced last week its recommendation to ban all cellphone and other portable electronics use while behind the wheel. Over the past few years, the number of fatalities due to drivers focused on their phones and not on the road has increased dramatically, which has concerned the board.

Last year, a 19 year-old caused a multi-car pileup that killed him a 15 year-old when he slammed into a stopped car at full speed. His cellphone records showed that he sent or received 11 text messages in 11 minutes right before the crash.

According to the NTSB's survery of 6,000 American drivers, half of all 21 to 24 year-olds questioned admitted to having sent text messages or emails while driving. A fifth of all the drivers questioned said they had sent messages while on the road.

If you or someone you love has been injured by a distracted driver, contact the Cedar Rapids car accident lawyers of the Pete Leehey Law Firm, P.C. today at 877-209-9452.