Feds Seeks National Ban on Texting While Driving

[Echoes]

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Senate Introduces Bill to Ban Texting While Driving By Sholnn Freeman Washington Post Staff Writer Wednesday, July 29, 2009; 1:48 PM A bill introduced today in the Senate would ban motorists from texting or sending e-mail messages while driving. "Nobody was texting five years ago," said Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), one of the bill's sponsors. "All of a sudden everybody is. It's both widespread and dangerous." The bill would force states to write laws to prohibit messaging in vehicles or risk losing 25 percent of their annual federal highway money. Federal lawmakers have used similar strategies to force states to curb speeding and pass seat-belt laws. The new legislation would also set deadlines for regulators at the U.S. Transportation Department to devise minimum penalties for states to implement. States would have two years to enact their own laws. Other sponsors of the bill include Democratic Sens. Robert Menendez (N.J.), Mary Landrieu (La.) and Kay Hagan (N.C.). The introduction of the bill comes a day after the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute released a study on commercial truck drivers that found texting drivers to be 23 times more likely to be involved in a crash or a near miss. The senators also cited recent cases where texting might have played a role. In May, a Boston transit worker, now under indictment, was allegedly texting when a trolley he was driving rear-ended another, injuring dozens. The incident led the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority to prohibit train and bus operators from using "personal electronic devices" while working. In September, 25 people died in a Metrolink crash in Southern California. Federal investigators have said the driver had sent a text message before the collision. "Texting while driving should be illegal on every road, every railway, in every state," Menendez said. Already, the District and 13 states, including Virginia, have driver texting bans in place or scheduled to become effective his year. Maryland's ban takes effect Oct. 1.

washingtonpost.com

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Lawmakers propose ban on texting while driving By KEN THOMAS (AP) – 45 minutes ago WASHINGTON — A group of Democrats want states to ban texting while driving or face cuts in highway funds, citing the need to reduce driver distraction and potential highway deaths and injuries. "When drivers have their eyes on their cell phones instead of the road, the results can be dangerous and even deadly," said Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., who unveiled the legislation Wednesday with Democrats Robert Menendez of New Jersey, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Kay Hagan of North Carolina. Fourteen states and the District of Columbia have passed laws making texting while driving illegal. Some critics have questioned whether the laws could be enforced, whether there is enough data to warrant such bans, or if reckless driving statutes already cover texting behind the wheel. The Governors Highway Safety Association, which represents state highway safety agencies, said it does not doubt the dangers of texting and driving but does not support a ban because it would be difficult to enforce. "Highway safety laws are only effective if they can be enforced and if the public believes they will be ticketed for not complying. To date, that has not been the case with many cell phone restrictions," said Vernon Betkey, the highway safety association's chairman. The proposal follows a series of studies showing the dangers of operating handheld electronic devices while driving. In a study released earlier this week, the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found that when drivers of heavy trucks texted, their collision risk was 23 times greater than when not texting. Dialing a cell phone and using or reaching for an electronic device increased risk of collision about six times in cars and trucks. The Virginia Tech researchers said the risks of texting generally applied to all drivers, not just truckers. The lawmakers also cited a separate report by Car and Driver magazine that found that texting and driving is more dangerous than drunken driving. Texting has grown from nearly 10 billion messages a month in December 2005 to more than 110 billion in December 2008, according to CTIA, the cellular phone industry's trade group. The legislation would require states to ban texting or e-mailing while operating a moving vehicle or lose 25 percent of their annual federal highway funding. It would be patterned after the way Congress required states to adopt a national drunken driving ban. The transportation secretary would be required to issue guidelines within six months of the measure becoming law, and states then would have two years to approve the bans on texting and driving. States could recover highway funds by passing the legislation following the two-year period. The bill would target the activity in a moving vehicle and not prohibit a driver from texting or e-mailing in a stopped car. Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

The Associated Press: Lawmakers propose ban on texting while driving

[Echoes]

I'm all for it. I don't understand to whole texting obsession to begin with.

[samoXenina]

^^ i agree ....i hope it does get banned and if you're caught pay a nice hefty sum.

[Blondee178]

This would be great. Next should be...Texting while crossing the street!

[NagaJolokia]

YES, please, please, please! I'd rather not have a fender bender, amputated legs, disfigurement, death, among other things just because of a texter. I'd much rather have any of these because the other driver had an elliptic seizure or anything that's a better excuse than texting!

[shanam]

I hope this passes. I have seen too many reports that show what happens when you text and drive. This is not multi-tasking - it is suicide or murder.

[NVMyLV]

I hope that it passes as well as applying makeup and talking on "hand held" phones while driving.

[KarraAnn]

Good!! I heard something that texting while driving increases your chances of getting in an accident like 17 times or something.

My old roomie and I were on our way to a hair appointment and she was texting while driving and ended up running a stop sign and hitting a station wagon. Her jeep rolled over, landed upside down in a ditch and caught on fire and she ended up getting 2nd and 3rd degree burns on 30% of her body.

I am all for this ban!

[lorihmatthews]

Originally Posted by NVMyLV

I hope that it passes as well as applying makeup and talking on "hand held" phones while driving.

This has already been banned in CA, so it should spread ...

[lorihmatthews]

Originally Posted by Blondee178

This would be great. Next should be...Texting while crossing the street!

Or even walking down the street, people don't watch where they're going! Do not bump into me just because you're not paying attention!

[pursewatch]

It's about time they ban texting while driving!

[redney]

Seriously! I hope this passes! Why don't people realize they are in control of multi-ton vehicles (even a small car is about a ton) and freaking PAY ATTENTION to the task at hand of driving them?! Drives me nuts!

Check out this story, just happened today near Buffalo, NY. Thankfully, no one was killed from his stupidity.

http://www.buffalonews.com/258/story/748877.html

Texting-while-driving truck driver crashes into swimming pool
By Nancy Fischer
Updated: July 30, 2009, 9:59 AM /

LOCKPORT — The driver of a tow truck texting on one cell phone while talking on another Wednesday morning crashed into a car at Tonawanda Creek Road North near Willow Wood Drive, injuring a woman and her niece, Niagara County sheriff's deputies said.

The flatbed tow truck then crashed through a fence and into a house before ending up in a swimming pool.

Chief Deputy Steven Preisch said the driver of the Adams tow truck, identified as Nicholas Sparks, 25, of Burt, admitted he was both texting and talking just after 8 a.m., when he hit the car on Willow Wood, which was stopped to make a turn.

"According to witnesses, he did not even stop, slow down or hit the brakes," Preisch said.

Sparks was charged with reckless driving, talking on a cell phone and following too closely. Preisch said deputies will be seizing his two cell phones and will request search warrants for the phone records to verify allegations the driver was talking on the phone.

"It's crazy the law [for texting while driving] is on the governor's desk. But it's irresponsible," Preisch said. "Here's an example where technology is progressing faster than the bureaucracy and laws can keep up. It doesn't make common sense."

Sparks was heading east on Tonawanda Creek Road North when he rear-ended the car of Lily White, 68, of Lockport, who suffered head injuries and was taken by Mercy Flight to Erie County Medical Center, Buffalo. She was listed in good condition.

Her great-niece, Kiara McDowell, 8, of the Town of Lockport, who was in the rear seat, was taken to Women & Children's Hospital, Buffalo, for treatment of wrist injuries, Preisch said. She was later released. Sparks also was treated in ECMC for back and neck injuries.

Preisch said the flatbed truck was towing two vehicles, with two motor cycles on the bed.

Preisch said that after the collision with the car, the flatbed went through a yard and sideswiped a house at 6369 Tonawanda Creek, with one of the towed vehicles hitting the house, then continued through a privacy fence and into the in-ground pool.

He said the cleanup at the house, owned by Brad Kanel, took more than five hours. He said it was hard finding a truck big enough to pull the flatbed out of the family's pool.

A damage estimate was being tabulated.

[Panda1]

Yes, but I don't see it really being enforced. I suspect we need stronger laws, more severe punishments even for 1st offenses, and putting is as a priority before anything changes. No one or their family should be severely hurt or killed because someone is chatting or texting. No call or message is that important.

Originally Posted by lorihmatthews

This has already been banned in CA, so it should spread ...

[Jahpson]

sure why not.