In Depth: Million Dollar Call

Fox 9 NewsApril 12, 2012

Hopeful a lawsuit will get people to rethink their habits using cell phones while driving.

There's so much you can do with a cell phone these days. Besides talking and texting, you can surf the net, take pictures and make movies. One man did something with a phone that ended up costing a company a million dollars.

Driver distraction is now a leading factor in Minnesota car crashes. The Minnesota Safety Council estimates that at least 70 people die every year and another 350 are injured due to distraction. Using a cell phone is one of the worst. An insurance industry study found drivers are four times more likely to get into an accident when they're on the phone.

In Minnesota, it's against the law to text and drive but it's not illegal to talk on a cell phone. But some organizations are now imposing their own internal bans.