In the story Cops, Lawmakers Send Message: Dnt Txt & Drive, (http://www.msnbc.com/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets) a twenty-five year old male drove his tow truck that he was operating into a swimming pool after hitting another vehicle. Why? Because he was talking on one cell phone and texting on another.
After the incident the driver of the tow truck was charged with reckless driving, following too closely, and talking on a cell phone while driving. That's right only talking on a cell phone. The State of New York currently only has a ban on talking on your cell phone while operating a vehicle. But just like many other states, New York is in the process of creating a ban on texting on a cell phone while driving.
Now being a former law enforcement officer I only investigated two traffic accidents that involved the driver texting on his cell phone while driving the vehicle. However with the texting craze becoming ever incresingly popular, I'm sure that the number of accidents have risen over the past few years.
Now I'm not saying that texting while driving is all bad. Lord knows I'm just as guilty as the next the person when it comes to texting while behind the wheel of a car. However I do believe that texting while driving does distract you while you are driving. There have been many occassions where I have almost rearended a vehicle in front of me because I wasnt paying attention due to my texting. In fact there also have been numerous times that I have almost been hit by another driver who was also texting.
Currently I am unaware of any law in Missouri that bans texting while driving. Would I agree with the law if it were to become enacted? Sure, but would the law have the same effect on the general public as the seat belt law does? Would people put down their phones while they were operating their vehicle? Who knows that would remain to be seen.
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I often refer to my iPhone as the electronic version of crack. Sometimes, it's hard to put down. I am definitely addicted and I think I go through moderate withdrawal symptoms whenever I misplace it for a short time period. However, I am very good at never texting while driving. Mainly because I'm not that hot of a driver to begin with and for another, one of my FB friends sent me a link to this video of what can happen when you text and drive. It's a reenactment video of sorts...but, it was enough to scare me out of ever texting and driving again!
ReplyDeleteI'm really not too surprised that MO hasn't started some sort of legislation against driving texters. We don't even require drivers to use a headset while driving and talking. The majority of States are WAY ahead of us on any kind of legislation.