Saturday, August 2, 2008

Ban on Text Messaging at the Wheel

You've seen these people. The ones who are text messaging while driving. Typing while driving has to be even worse than talking while driving. With this in mind, Californian, among other states, is working toward banning driving while texting. A study done by Nationwide Insurance found that 18 percent of drivers text as they drive and there is compelling evidence that links talking and texting to accidents. 

Of course the ban limits one's freedom to communicate while driving, however measure to reduce accidents are a good thing, especially when there are options like headsets. This ban, like California's ban on cellphone talking while driving, would make roads safer - a good thing.  

(Originally reported by the Christian Science Monitor.)

14 comments:

Mojo said...

yea i've definitely almost crashed trying to text and drive on the freeway before... SO much more dangerous than talking on the phone while driving.

Unknown said...

I'd have to agree that it is a good thing to have it banned. I live in Washington State and as of August 1st we have both texting and talking on the phone without a hands free device banned. My only problem is it is a secondary offense. You can't get pulled over for just talking on your phone. And I still see people talking with phones to their ears, not as many but I still see them. You can tell too, they are the ones swerving. Good luck with it in Cali, hopefully it won't take long!

Italo said...

Can't wait either, will probably save many lives on the daily

Joe Pettis said...

is it bad that i'm responding to this while driving?

taynee, how can you text with a hands free device?

do you think you have it? said...

GREAT news. I almost hit someone today because of my phone and I am an otherwise good driver.

cucaracha said...

texters/drivers forget that the potential victims too have rights. To live, Perhaps? or not to be injured...
carry on with good news. There isn't enough around. Well done!

Katie said...

Good. I rear-ended someone while texting... back when texting first came out!

Col. Sigh said...

I'd have thought it was common sense to not be fooling around while driving. Are people truly so helpless that they need more laws to tell them something that any Joe should already know?

Oh California, how I love thee.

I've seen people doing all sorts of things while driving, and we all have. From putting on their makeup to reading the newspaper, ignoring the road is nothing new. I once saw a guy playing trumpet on I-5!

I'm a preferred pedestrian, myself. Juggling, walking, and chewing bubblegum, all at the same time... no laws against that, I hope.

Shakespere said...

I know too many people who have been hurt by inattentive drivers. Most of us have difficulty driving without the added distractions.

TheMysteriousBird said...

I will admit to textign while driving, but I haven't done it in recent days because it is just dangerous :/

Maki said...

I'm guilty as charged!!! I do it sometimes even when I also complain about the people who are on the cell driving! I will be careful from now on... It's definitely not a good habit.

Anonymous said...

As a former resident of California I find this great news. I narrowly escaped numerous head on collisions while traveling the streets and highways of CA and I am sure quite a few of those other drivers were talking/texting on their phones at the time, I wouldn't know I was too busy heading for the ditches. I am not guilty of the practice and would love for all states to adopt a ban on the activity.

Jenn said...

"limits one's freedom to communicate while driving"?

Let's start with "driving is a privilege" - not a right.

It astonishes me that people think it is ever ok to do anything that takes their eyes from the road like texting, reading a text, reading a book (seen it on the Bay Bridge) or newspaper (across the steering wheel - seen it o 101).

Unknown said...

What in the world are people steering with if their hands are busy texting?

I picture a steering wheel being invented soon with holes that will fit your tongues so your can text while driving.

or a steering wheel that can be lowered that molds over the thighs to steer while driving and texting. Of course, it will have to be in different sizes to cover all sizes of thighs.