Is Dr. Frank Ryan the Latest Proof that Texting Can Kill?

Law enforcement is not denying rumors that Dr. Frank Ryan was texting while driving. This raises the possibility that he is the latest victim of deadly car accidents associated with texting. Will his untimely death serve as a cautionary tale or be ignored?

Dr. Frank Ryan: Texting while Driving?

The eerie death of Dr. Frank Ryan is leaving Hollywood celebs and Angelenos unsettled. Sure, deadly car accidents on PCH are not uncommon. Yet People's report that Highway Patrol officers corroborated the rumors of Dr. Frank Ryan's texting while driving is making L.A. drivers uncomfortable.

Granted, investigators are still reserving judgment on Dr. Ryan's death, yet The Inquisitr has no such scruples and proclaims the plastic surgeon's cause of death to have been Twitter. Was texting while driving really the reason that Dr. Frank Ryan died? If so, will his fame factor into the texting while driving debate?

Texting Can Kill, but Twitter Did Not Kill Dr. Frank Ryan

In spite of the Inquisitr's rather sensationalist headline, the odds are good that his tweets did not kill him. The Twitter page of Dr. Ryan shows that the plastic surgeon was not a prolific tweeter. In fact, the August 16^th tweets were the first two since August 11^th. That being said, both Twitter posts originated from Dr. Ryan's BlackBerry at 3:45 p.m. and 4:10 p.m. respectively.

The Los Angeles Times reports the time of the accident as being 4:30 p.m., with a first emergency call coming in at 4:33 p.m. This puts the crash a full 20 minutes after the tweets. Of course, only Highway Patrol officers have access to Dr. Frank Ryan's BlackBerry, and it is entirely possible that he was texting while driving, albeit not posting to his Twitter account.

Deadly Car Accidents Related to Texting While Driving?

It is still uncertain if the Highway Patrol officers verified that Dr. Ryan was texting while driving at the time of his deadly car accident -- or if their statements should be interpreted to mean that he was texting at some point before his accident. Even so, it is entirely clear that texting can kill.

WTNH Connecticut reports on the arraignment of a teen driver, who admitted to texting while driving, hit a mother and her two children and simply drove on because he thought that he only hit a bush. This accident did not end in death, but a 16-year young Asheville driver was not so lucky.

WSPA Channel 7 News reported on a deadly car accident which may feature texting while driving as a contributing factor. This youngster allegedly attempted to retrieve a cell phone text message mere seconds prior to experiencing a head-on collision with a truck, which ultimately ended her life.

Texting Can Kill, but so Can Drinking and Driving

It is evident that texting while driving is an activity that is here to stay. Just like drinking and driving is an irresponsible act that frequently results in deadly car accidents, texting can kill. Yet in much the same way as hoisting a few pints is acceptable to some drivers, the Davis Law Group asserts that "many people feel that, if they are careful, they can safely text while they are driving."

Compare this to the statistics that show a 23 percent increase in the likelihood to have a deadly accident if texting while driving and it is worrisome that about half of driving teens admit to nevertheless texting while on the road. Just like DUI laws do precious little to ward off deadly car accidents due to booze, anti-texting legislation cannot stem the tide of texting drivers.

Sources

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5696642/eerie_death_dr_frank_ryan_of_heidi.html?cat=48

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20413769,00.html

http://www.inquisitr.com/82411/dr-frank-ryans-cause-of-death-twitter/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Inquisitr+%28Inquisitr%3A+All%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher

http://twitter.com/drfrankryan

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/08/frank-ryan-twitter-crash-heidi-montag-text-malibu-.html

http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/news/crime/texting-teen-arraigned-in-hit-and-run

http://www2.wspa.com/news/2010/may/11/6/buncombe-county-teens-dies-injuries-monday-acciden-ar-157891/

http://www.northcarolinainjuryattorneysblog.com/2010/05/teen-texting-while-driving-cau.html