| Driver distractions have always been a leading factor | | | | two hand held cell phones or other electronic devices. |
| in car and truck accidents. With the advancements in | | | | Advances in technology now include all sorts of |
| cell phone technology, a new distraction is jumping to | | | | media, including: |
| the forefront. Driving and texting is quickly becoming | | | | Video clips Music downloads Images |
| more dangerous than eating or visiting with friends. | | | | Today, text messaging is the most popular mobile |
| The problem has become so acute that many states | | | | data service, with almost 74 percent of cell phone |
| have introduced laws banning texting and driving. | | | | users worldwide using the Short Message Services |
| House Bill 323 introduced in the Florida legislature, | | | | (SMS) features of their phones, more than regular |
| would specifically restrict both composing and reading | | | | phone conversations. |
| text messages while driving. Fourteen other states | | | | New Texting Regulations |
| currently have similar laws in the books. | | | | Enforcement of text messaging laws currently in |
| Driver Distractions | | | | place have proven difficult to prove. In most cases, |
| Problems with texting and driving have not been | | | | there is no way to determine if someone was |
| statistically measured yet since the technology has | | | | texting unless they admit it to a police officer. Even |
| only recently exploded in the last few years. | | | | then, the fines are minimal and are probably not |
| Inattentive driving however is the leading cause of | | | | enough to deter the behavior. Lawmakers are finding |
| car and truck accidents. According to one recent | | | | it difficult to pass tough laws because of the |
| study performed in 2008, more than 800,000 people | | | | enormous cell phone lobby and the extreme |
| were texting or making calls while driving. Obviously, | | | | popularity of these electronic gadgets. |
| this sort of activity could definitely be classified as a | | | | Recently, President Obama signed an executive order |
| driver distraction. Other traditional distractions include: | | | | banning driving and texting by federal employees. |
| Talking with other passengers Eating and drinking | | | | The Department of Transportation has also banned |
| Operating the radio Applying make up Reading a map | | | | commercial truckers and bus drivers from texting |
| Talking on the cell phone and texting is quickly | | | | while driving, with fines of up to $2,750 imposed for |
| becoming the leading distraction for American drivers. | | | | violations. The problem with all federal and local bans |
| Cell Phones and Texting | | | | is with enforcement. |
| Although no conclusive studies have been done on | | | | It is very difficult to prove that an accident was |
| texting related accidents, some estimates put cell | | | | caused by driver distraction, let alone to pinpoint the |
| phone related accidents at 342,000 costing $34 billion | | | | blame on text messaging. In many cases, the laws |
| dollars per year. Hands free cell phones are not the | | | | that are on the books bans texting, but allows limited |
| answer as it the conversation itself that causes the | | | | use of cell phones. Law enforcement officials are at a |
| distraction not managing the phone. Texting | | | | disadvantage by having to prove the distraction. |
| however, compounds the danger, as the hands are | | | | Many laws also make texting a secondary offence, |
| needed to carry on the conversation. Text | | | | not a primary one, so a police officer would be |
| messaging, also known as texting, is the exchange of | | | | unable to pull someone over even if they observe |
| brief messages over cell phone networks between | | | | them texting. |