Blog Stage 4

Blog Stage 4

Texting While Driving ban passes the House Committee

Karen Brooks Harper wrote an editorial on March 5th in the Dallas News Blog (Trail Blazer) contradicting texting while driving. As we all know texting and driving is just as bad as drinking and driving. A proposed ban is was set in front of the Texas House committee March 5th. There are different aspects to this, Governor Rick Perry is expected to veto the bill again as he did two years ago, as he states, “texting and driving is reckless and irresponsible”, but disagrees with the fact to micromanage the behavior of adults. According to the author, 39 states have banned texting while driving. Twenty-five Texas cities also have passed local texting bans. This article is indeed presented towards the citizens of Texas, as it will affect them. A study done by the Highway Loss Data Institute, which analyzes insurance loss statistics, compared insurance claims in four states before and after each had passed a texting-while-driving ban. The institute found a slight increase in collision claims after texting bans were passed.

According to the authors credentials Governor Rick Perry statement, “texting and driving is reckless and irresponsible”, is correct as well as the studies done by the Institute, if you choose to text and drive you will be penalized. If you don’t text and drive you will go on with you’re daily lives.  Everyone is capable of making their own judgments, and the laws are meant to serve a purpose. Even though it is a law to drink and drive, people still do it on a daily basis, it will never change. I think if we had this law passed, it would only encourage citizens to try and hide it, which takes more time off the road. We always hear of a family member or a friend that was involved in a car accident and sometime led to a fatalities, if the law pass’s we can discipline those that choose to text and drive. There has to be some sort of penalty for someone to recognize a law, whether it is there pocket book or intuition they will make a change. First citation is $100, and there after is $200, this includes reading or actually texting, as well as laptops, and electronic devices. As for the ban, there will have to be some kind of “judgment call” between the office and citizen. Standing up in court, most likely it will be the officer that wins. So do you’re self a favor and don’t text and drive!