Taylor in Surgery, Driver Admits Fault

May 3 -- Supermodel Niki Taylor is undergoing surgery on her lungs and liver today at Atlanta's Grady Memorial Hospital for life-threatening injuries she suffered in a car accident on Sunday.

Also today, the driver of the car, Taylor's long-time friend Chad Renegar, says the accident was caused as he attempted to answer his cell phone while driving.

He told ABC's Good Morning America, "I was distracted by something that was not part of what I should have been doing at the moment, which was driving." Renegar told the morning show, "The result of that has changed the lives of three people and their families.

"Think about things like that," he said. "There's nothing on that phone that can be nearly as important as what's going on in front of you."

Taylor 'Not Out of the Woods'Taylor's physician, Dr. Jeffrey Nichols, told GMA on Wednesday that it would be weeks before Taylor is removed from the critical list.

The model's aunt, Mary Easton, said her niece was responsive on Wednesday morning. According to People magazine, Taylor is unable to speak because of a ventilator but was able to indicate that she wanted the tubes removed from her arms. Eaton said that though Taylor is "definitely not out of the woods, at least she's heading in the right direction." She added that the model's doctors are "pleased she's now fighting for herself."

Hazards of 'Distracted Driving'Renegar told police he lost control of the 1993 Nissan Maxima near downtown Atlanta. He was given a ticket for striking a stationary object and having no proof of insurance, but police said they did not suspect that drugs or alcohol contributed to the accident.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says distracted driving causes one-quarter of the nation's 6.3 million annual automobile accidents, and in some parts of the country, there have been efforts to make it illegal to use handheld phones while driving.

Taylor was the front seat passenger in Renegar's car when he ran off the road and hit a utility pole early Sunday. According to Renegar, his car only had a driver-side air bag. Renegar and another passenger were treated and released after the accident. Taylor, who was wearing her seat belt, had no external injuries, but after she began to have stomach pains, the internal injuries were discovered.

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