Texting While Driving Ban 2012
If you remember, during the last legislative session, a texting while driving ban law was successfully passed through both the House and Senate, but was vetoed by Governor Rick Perry. At the time, Gov. Perry took the position that awareness about distracted driving and the possible consequences should be made through existing state of Texas approved teenage driver Ed, adult drivers Ed, and Texas defensive driving courses rather than specifically regulating it with a new law.
Enforcement Problems
While texting bans may seem like straight forward solutions to the problem, it isn’t quite that simple. A recent article by the Atlanta Journal Constitution highlights the major challenge surrounding enforcement of texting while driving bans. It explained that since July 1st, 2010 when the statewide texting ban went into law in Georgia there have been fewer than 50 convictions per month across the state. Lt. Les Wilburn, an assistant state commander in Georgia explained that troopers are required to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a driver is texting while driving and not simply using their mobile device for other purposes, such as looking at contacts in preparation for making a call or using the devices GPS. For this reason, other states such as California, Nevada, New Jersey, and New York have instituted complete mobile device bans while driving. A full mobile device ban accomplishes the task of making enforcement much easier, but some would argue that doesn’t make the law better, it just makes it stricter. So what do you think? Are you in favor of texting ban or a full mobile device ban in Texas?
Insurance Industry Takes Notice
The issue of distracted driving is not only being discussed by our legislature. Auto insurance companies are seeing the trends as well. It was reported this week in the San Antonio Business Journal that San Antonio based insurance and investment provider USAA has hired the Texas A&M Transportation Institute to study the topic of distracted driving. Their plan is to survey 3000 drivers to determine the thought processes and reasons why they may or may not engage in dangerous activities like using a cell phone, texting, or driving distracted behind the wheel. The hope is that the TTI will then be able to provide well thought our recommendations on how to really impact the issue through awareness and education.
I think that you would be hard pressed to find a driver that won’t admit that driving distracted isn’t dangerous. So why do people still do it? The ultimate question is whether the problem can be limited by awareness and education through courses like our Texas defensive driving online course, or whether the Texas legislature will decide that a new law needs to be passed to prohibit this dangerous activity?
