Lawmakers to Propose Ban on Driving While Texting

[sanmanc]

The Associated Press has reported that a group of Democratic Senators is proposing legislation to ban texting while driving to help prevent deaths and injuries resulting from drivers being distracted while operating handheld electronic devices.

In a study released earlier this week, the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found that when drivers of heavy trucks texted, their collision risk was 23 times greater than when not texting. Dialing a cell phone and using or reaching for an electronic device increased risk of collision about six times in cars and trucks.

The proposed law would require states to ban texting and emailing while operating a moving vehilce or face losing up to 25% of their federal highway funding. This law would not be enforced if the vehicle is stopped.

If passed the Transportation Secretary will issue guidlines 6 months before the measure is signed into law and states would have two years to approve the ban on texting and emailing.

[boggsie]

Lets see the data on smoking a cigarette, drinking a can of soda, bottle of water, tuning the radio, choosing a CD, operating you iPod.

I think that targeting texting as a specific offense is really bad law; just give the LEO the discression to pull over and cite anyone who is driving while seemingly distracted. That seems to make sense and would even help in those cases where intervention is probably a welcome thing - a parent reaching over the seat to get at an out of control child. How many parents would welcome a traffic stop so that the LEO could correct the little one?

Best regards,
-boggsie

[MrObvious]

I agree that the law only targets one bad behavior but I gotta admit I text while driving (I try not to do it when moving and in traffic anymore) but it's not safe really.

[CovKid66]

We're waiting on a similar ban here in Ontario, Canada. This is already in place in certain Canadian Provinces (Quebec and Nova Scotia at least I think). Ontario is scheduled for later in the year, and other provinces are following suit! We will have a complete ban on cell phone use though, not just e-mail and texting. Headsets will be permitted though, but you cannot touch your phone e.g. to dial. So voice dialling is okay along with a headset.

It's a joke really when you consider everything else people do in their car...other than driving!

The cell phone and cell phone accessory companies love it..."You're going to need a new voice activated cell phone. Oh, and you'll need a nice new headset to go along with that. Step right this way". We've already got companies jumping on the bandwagon early wording their commercials as if the ban is already in place and for you to come and take advantage of their savings now!

I don't debate for one minute that this will help with accident prevention / reduction. I just don't understand how they can limit the ban to one specific type of distraction.

[Snoman002]

I think the ban on texting is a great idea, I have recently seen WAY to many drivers staring at their phones instead of watching what they are doing. Honestly, 80% of the drivers around here dont pay enough attention to what they are doing, even if they are not using their phone.

However, I think bans on cell phone use is idiotic if hands free is allowed. I has repeatedly been found that its not holding the phone thats the problem, its the conversation. Personally, I would rather somebody look down for a moment and dial a number, which is FAR easier on non-touch phones, than have somebody fumble around with the constantly tangled wired "hands free" headset.

[jeffyv]

this is already a law in califorina

[sanmanc]

Originally Posted by jeffyv

this is already a law in califorina

Yep this law already exists in 14 states and DC. I'm for this and the use of hands free devices while driving. Today on the way home I passed 4 drivers on their phones while driving holding up traffic. You know something is up when they are going 50 in a 70.

[CovKid66]

Originally Posted by sanmanc

Yep this law already exists in 14 states and DC. I'm for this and the use of hands free devices while driving. Today on the way home I passed 4 drivers on their phones while driving holding up traffic. You know something is up when they are going 50 in a 70.

Worst I ever saw was a guy in a SUV using both hands on his mobile device whilst driving on the highway! He must have been using his knees to steer or something. Again, he was doing way under the speed limit and everyone was passing him. A few minutes later he comes bombing past everybody else....must have finished his message!

[jmelan]

i have to agree on this one. i do it all the time, but it is definitely not safe.

but while we're at it, require all phones to support voice dailing and bluetooth for hands free operation. i see more problems with people talking on their phone going 40 on the interstate than anything else

[boggsie]

Originally Posted by jmelan

i have to agree on this one. i do it all the time, but it is definitely not safe.

but while we're at it, require all phones to support voice dailing and bluetooth for hands free operation. i see more problems with people talking on their phone going 40 on the interstate than anything else

This is the point I was trying to make with my post earlier in the thread. Targeting only texting is easy, because most boomers and older folks really aren't much into the texting thing, but they do talk on the phone.

My thought is to give the LEO a wider range of distracting behaviors to target ... eating a sandwich, drinking a starbucks, reading a book ... these are all activities that we know we have observed and they should be addressed as well.

Best regards,
-boggsie