Texting While Driving
Should be Illegal in All 50 States
Where Is It Illegal?
Talking on the phone or use of your cell phone while driving is illegal in 14 states. 37 states ban cell phone use for all novice or beginner drivers. Texting while driving is illegal in 47 states, and the 2 leftover (Missouri and Texas) ban texting for novice drivers only. Many cities or towns have began to regulate their own laws on cell phone use for the driver, and school districts have also banned all bus drivers from cell phone use. Texas is the only state that bans cell phone use in school zones for safety reasons.
Cited: http://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/laws/cellphonelaws/maptextingbans
Why Is It Illegal?
There is a definitely a cost to cell phone use behind a vehicle's wheel, and for good reasons. Distracted driving (Talking, texting, etc..) is costing approximately 6,000 people their lives per year, 500,000 injured. State Farm Insurance provided reports that 636,000 crashes due to cell phone use occur, 330,000 personal injuries, 12,000 major injuries, and 2,700 deaths with their insurance company alone. Besides that, it costs the US $43 Billion in damage yearly.
cited: http://www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/laws/cellphone_laws.html
cited: http://www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/laws/cellphone_laws.html
Where There Are Cell Phone Use Bans and Exceptions
Texting Bans
Partial Ban
Texas, Missouri,
(Not Shown) Oregon, Colorado, Wyoming, Mississippi, Indiana, West Virgina, Maine
No Ban
Arizona, Montana
Texas, Missouri,
(Not Shown) Oregon, Colorado, Wyoming, Mississippi, Indiana, West Virgina, Maine
No Ban
Arizona, Montana
Cell Phone Use Bans
Partial Bans
Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Missouri, Mississippi, Alabama, West Virginia
No Ban
Ohio, Idaho, Arizona, Florida, South Carolina, South Dakota, Montana
Novice Driver Only Cell Phone Bans
Oregon, Texas, Colorado, Wyoming, Mississippi, Indiana, West Virgina, Maine
Why State Exceptions For Novice Drivers Should Change
What is a novice driver?
A novice driver is a young teen under the state driving age with their driving permit. They're still learning and experiencing how to drive and properly control their vehicle before they get their drivers license.
Cited: https://www.ontario.ca/faq/who-considered-novice-driver
Cited: https://www.ontario.ca/faq/who-considered-novice-driver
Why Should Novice Driving Laws Be Changed?
Certain states (Texas, Missouri, etc...) allow anyone to text while driving (with the exception of school zones in Texas) if they're no longer considered a novice driver, or have a registered drivers license and are experienced enough to pass their drivers test. This is dangerous to the road in multiple ways. An NHTSA study found that the minimum amount of time a driver is distracted from driving while texting is five seconds. At sixty miles an hour a car travels over one hundred yards in five seconds - the full length of a football field. States that allow texting for drivers as young is 16 or 17 years old, normal every day teens, will cost them much more lives and damage than states that don't. The novice driving laws should be changed according to state to provide safer roads and reduce the number of accidents that happen each year.
Facts On Texting and Driving
- In 2011, 23% of accidents involved cell phones. This is 1.3 million crashes.
- Texting gives the driver a 23X chance that they will crash, making it the most dangerous distraction behind the wheel of a vehicle.
- 13% of drivers between the ages of 18-20 admitted the reason for their crash was texting.
- 77% of young adults are confident they can safely text while driving, 55% claim it's easy.
- 1 in 5 drivers confess to surfing the web while driving.
Cited: http://www.textinganddrivingsafety.com/texting-and-driving-stats
- Texting gives the driver a 23X chance that they will crash, making it the most dangerous distraction behind the wheel of a vehicle.
- 13% of drivers between the ages of 18-20 admitted the reason for their crash was texting.
- 77% of young adults are confident they can safely text while driving, 55% claim it's easy.
- 1 in 5 drivers confess to surfing the web while driving.
Cited: http://www.textinganddrivingsafety.com/texting-and-driving-stats
How Advanced Technology has Prevented Texting While Driving
Many companies have placed hands free cell phone use features in their car, allowing a safer way to communicate. Things like Bluetooth or "Siri, send a message" aren't always as accurate as doing it yourself, but the costs outweigh inaccuracy. Cell phone companies like AT&T have created features like AT&T Drive Mode, a free texting and driving app that gets rid of all distractions. When enabled, all incoming notifications are silenced, all calls are sent to voicemail, and texting or responding is completely restricted.
Cited: http://www.textinganddrivingsafety.com/texting-and-driving-stats
http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=23185
Cited: http://www.textinganddrivingsafety.com/texting-and-driving-stats
http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=23185