Texting while driving bills have trouble on state level

When New York Senator Chuck Schumer brought a bill before the Senate to ban texting when driving, it seemed like the right bill at the right time. Strangely, getting comparable laws going on a state-by-state basis has been tough sledding. How can this be possible in light of what CNN recently revealed about how eight out of 10 auto wrecks come from distracted driving? It may have something to do with the language of the bills.

Article Source: Texting when driving legislation hits snags at state level

Texting while driving – a sample of what’s wrong with government

A number of states across the U.S. are having difficulties getting texting when driving bans in place. Georgia is one of those. As outlined by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Governor Sonny Perdue is wary of issues of enforcement resulting from the chosen language. The words that make clear “any text-based communication” would be banned is what bugs Perdue. Also, the governor of Georgia doesn’t think a mere law will stop individuals from texting while driving, such is the power of instant gratification.

”If I get my e-mails and I pick up a smart-phone and read my e-mails,” Perdue exclaimed, “I’m violating the law. But if I print out my E-mails and I have a sheet of paper driving (and take a look at it), then I haven’t violated the law”.

Instant gratification is tough to resist

Using Perdue’s logic, possibly all distracted driving should be against the law. It’s not hard to make the case. Strong texting when driving laws would make each and every life saved a testament to the law’s worthiness, right? The AJC indicates that texting while driving causes 1.6 million accidents each year, which consists of 500,000-plus injuries and 6,000 deaths. Not only that, but texting when driving has been shown to be triple the danger of driving drunk, as the act of texting demands a full shift in concentration. Overall, texting when driving, writes the AJC, is 23 times a lot more likely to cause an accident than without. Those numbers make it easy to see that people have to delay gratification and pull over first.

Auto Week and Oprah fighting the good fight

Auto Week has a highly motivated campaign against texting when driving. “We know what a car can do – artistically and brutally at speed,” writes Auto Week. ”As car guys we must be on the front lines to carry the message, willing to share with every person we learn about the risks of distracted driving. We must tell everybody to stop texting when driving. We are selfish that way. Because we want them to live”. Oprah’s “No Phone Zone” has shown even more encouraging results.

American drivers deserve no texting when driving

Mr. Perdue should understand that while the texting while driving bill for Georgia isn’t ideal, adopting it will instantly conserve lives. For more details on current texting when driving laws across The US, the link below to the Governors Highway Safety Association offers a current list of state-level cell phone and text messaging laws.

A lot more data on this topic

blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2010/06/03/advocates-make-last-minute-appeal-to-the-governor-to-sign-texting-while-driving-ban/?cxntfid=blogs_get_schooled_blog

autoweek.com/files/distracteddriving/distracteddriving.html

ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/laws/cellphone_laws.html