Texas Texting Ban Passes House, Awaits Senate

May 27, 2011 (Press-News.org) Campaigns against distracted driving have become widespread throughout the U.S. and, due to a lack of national legislation, many states and municipalities have passed laws banning the use of phones and texting while driving.

The Texas House of Representatives passed House Bill 243 on April 8, 2011, which would ban sending a text, email or IM while driving in Texas. Those in violation of the ban would face fines up to $200.

House Bill 243

HB 243 was passed in a 124 to 16 vote and was sent to the Senate on April 11. The bill was sponsored by Representative Tom Craddick, R-Midland. Prior to the vote the bill was amended; a provision that would have prohibited looking at or reading messages while driving was removed from the legislation.

The amendment came after an outcry against the bill, claiming it was too harsh and infringed on peoples' basic freedom. Opponents of the bill also claimed that, if passed, police would begin harassing drivers.

Although Representative Craddick was among those against the amendment, he admitted that the bill would still be effective. "I think the main problem is the people with their hands off the wheel," said Craddick.

How Dangerous is Driving While Distracted?

Researchers have broken down distraction into three types: visual, manual and cognitive. Using a cell phone and text messaging are the most dangerous kinds of distraction because these acts involve all three elements, resulting in the significant impairment of your ability to drive safely.

The National Safety Council recently estimated that, as of early April, there have been 307,369 crashes involving a driver distracted by a cell phone so far this year. In our society, where cell phones have become our most common and popular device, using a cell while driving is prevalent.

Young people under age 20 are the most susceptible to use cell phones while driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 16% of all young people involved in fatal crashes were reported to have been distracted at the time.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, talking on a cell phone essentially delays the drivers' reactions to the same degree as having a blood alcohol content of .08%. Texting while driving is the equivalent of having a blood alcohol content of 1.6%.

Other common behaviors that can be distracting while driving are applying makeup, eating, fiddling with the radio or iPod, searching for something in the back seat or helping your child with something.

Article provided by The Law Firm of Alton C. Todd
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