Texas passes bill that bans texting while driving

www.flowermoundleader.com...

House Bill 243, which places a statewide ban on texting while driving, has been catching heat since its introduction into the 82nd Legislature, but all that has changed as lawmakers passed the bill after much deliberation late Sunday evening.

HB 243 was written by Midland Republican Rep. Tom Craddick. According to the bill, the ban includes all "text-based communication," meaning communication sent from a wireless communication device for the purpose of manually communicating with another person in a written medium. The ban would include text messages, instant messages and emails. Drivers caught texting, emailing or instant messaging on their phones can be fined more than $200.

Well at first I thought this is a pretty good law, but even without leaving the article, I see this in it.

"Now, depending on how the bill -- and subsequent offense -- is written, it will determine how we handle it," he said. "Sometimes, it may just be easier to develop [probable cause] for a stop and cite based on other traffic violations, like failure to maintain a single lane of travel, speeding, etc. Those types of offenses usually accompany texting or distracted driving and are more easily articulated in citing someone."

"I see you were texting while driving.....can I search your car now?"

Great, now I have mixed thoughts on this bill.

"In the past, someone may be holding their phone on the steering wheel with their eyes straight ahead, so they are somewhat paying attention," he said. "Now they will hold it in their lap and look down to avoid being caught."

if you are operating a 2-ton vehicle that might easily kill someone, you should be focused on operating your vehicle, not looking at your little hand-held communication device. Then again, will a law stop anyone from doing it? Probably not, but at least it will generate revenue for the police department.

reply to post by buni11687


This is already a law in Saskatchewan, Canada with a hefty $280 fine if caught.
2nd.

they shouldn't just ban texting, they should suspend their drivers license and impound their car.

i wouldn't want to be the cop or the person to explain to someones spouse, parents or kids why their family members brains were splattered all over the sidewalk because some asswipe, most likely a teenager, was tweeting about lady gaga and didn't see the red light.

Hurray for common sense!

If you need to text, pull the hell over! It's fine and dandy if you lose control and kill yourself, but killing another family is inexcusable.

Unfortunately this is just a law - it's not going to stop everybody.
Try telling an 18 year old that they can't drive and text at the same time...yeah...besides how hard is it to see a cop and go "oh whoops" and put the phone in your lap...
They're only going to catch the real dumasses (which is fine but ineffective) who don't see the cop or who end up slamming into somebody at a red light.

i think it is a good idea here in new zealand it has been banned

so may people txting while driving, killing not only them selves but others too

a girl who was from the same town as me was driving to another town a couple of hour south and was txting her sister she loved her and was on her way that was the last time anyone heard from her
as she died just after sending that txt as she was not concentrating on the road
went over the center line and hit the car coming at 100km was not a pretty sight

it's really sad and i think it is fantastic idea i am young and also use to txt and drive now i think it's not
worth it i don't want to risk my life or anyone else

karma

Speaking as a motorcycle rider, anyone caught txting while driving should have all pubic hair ripped from their body. And that would still be nothing compared to what they would do to me if they "never saw me" and put me down......

reply to post by karmajayne


Here in Rochester NY a case I think 2 summers ago a bunch of high school seniors, 5 girls, were on their way to a weekend getaway to celebrate graduation. They crossed the center line into a tractor trailer. All 5 were killed (hopefully instantly) and burned beyond recognition. It was later shown the drivers phone had sent a txt with a timestamp the same minute as they crash.

EDIT: i just wanted to say that when i said that they were "hopefully" killed instantly, I was saying that hopefully they avoided suffering, I hope no one took it the wrong way.

One BIG problem I have with this:



Proof of Texting?

I have a Droid. I have music from my phone going to the radio via bluetooth. If I am switching songs, and look down, I get a ticket for texting?

Also, I personally know some people that monitor their Facebook, different forums and blogs . . . on their phones while driving. Not texting, but equally distracting.

Lastly, for all who say that records can be retrieved from the carrier. That only really would apply to SMS messages. What of people using IM's to chat while driving?



Way to many holes in this law

Edit: One more problem. What happens with voice to text? I have an app that reads my texts and emails to me, and I can respond back without looking or even touching my phone.

So is that breaking the law, and if so, how would they catch that?

Ah, another "duh, that's common sense" ban in cars...don't text, use a headset, or have it on speaker, most importantly if it's that important pull over to the shoulder or lot!

Where as I agree for the most part;
It's already been passed in Wa State. Agreeing on part of it being caution, because people have been in accidents, some lead to death of them self and or others, because of texting. Hell, I've almost been hit at a crosswalk because of someone texting...not paying attention.

However, other parts of the bans and bills, as mentioned in the TX ban with searches.
That's just a bit much. Just give a warning, ticket, what ever...but a search for what, terrorists?
Proof of texting, is not the cops word enough or the accused's honesty if they did it or not... or is prying better evidence?

SOme states prohibit the law from being passed...

Preemption Laws: Many localities have passed their own distracted driving bans. However, some states – such as Fla., Ky., La., Miss., Nev., and Okla. – prohibit localities from enacting such laws.

Cell Ban Laws by State

reply to post by aching_knuckles


that is very tragic! i too hope that they didnt suffer

that is also how they knew the girl who died from my town was from the time stamp on her cellphone
i see you ride moterbike and that if you got hit it would not be
pretty seams we are in the same boat!

it's such a shame other young people such as myself don't take this issue serously i hope it doesn't take one of their family member to die before they think twice

karma

A couple of weeks ago I was out in my yard and watched a guy on a motorcycle with one hand on the handlebar and texting with the other hand wearing a full tinted shield helmet. I live on a fairly bumpy road and so I just watched hoping he didn't wreck and kill himself! He was lucky that there wasn't any other traffic at that time or it could have been really BAD! As much as I hate to say it- and please forgive me- but sometimes laws have to protect people like that guy from their own stupidity!

Originally posted by Lemon.Fresh
One BIG problem I have with this:



Proof of Texting?

I have a Droid. I have music from my phone going to the radio via bluetooth. If I am switching songs, and look down, I get a ticket for texting?

Also, I personally know some people that monitor their Facebook, different forums and blogs . . . on their phones while driving. Not texting, but equally distracting.

Lastly, for all who say that records can be retrieved from the carrier. That only really would apply to SMS messages. What of people using IM's to chat while driving?



Way to many holes in this law

Edit: One more problem. What happens with voice to text? I have an app that reads my texts and emails to me, and I can respond back without looking or even touching my phone.

So is that breaking the law, and if so, how would they catch that?

edit on 6/2/2011 by Lemon.Fresh because: (no reason given)

edit on 6/2/2011 by Lemon.Fresh because: (no reason given)

Oh right, because when you are choosing your music/using google maps/checking for a wifi connection/turning on your bluetooth you can pay full attention to the road and still use both hands to steer, unlike txting, right?

Concerning your second example: if you were using voice to text and not touching your phone with your hands, you wouldnt get pulled over now would you?

It should be a law against touching handheld devices while driving.....just like driving under the influence doesnt differentiate by the drug influencing, it shouldnt matter WHY you werent paying attention, just that you werent.

I dont want to end up road pizza because some asshole couldnt wait 3 minutes to check his facebook status and see if all his "friends" approved of him. PUT YOUR PHONE DOWN. THE INTERNET WILL STILL BE THERE AT THE RED LIGHT.

edit: i also want to say, here in NY it is supposedly illegal to use a cell or txt while driving, but i see it all the time....at least once EVERY motorcycle trip (i am not kidding) i get cut off by someone who never sees me until I am blaring my horn right next to their face as they try to pull into me, and 9 out of 10 times they are on a phone.
Today I saw a line of cops flying by in the opposite direction, lights and sirens blazing, and the third guy was on his cellphone. Who the hell was he talking too? Police radio not good enough? Its supposedly against the law? Raises more questions than it answers.

I suport any kinda law like this..even though im in CT..i cannot tell you, how many times in the past 7 years, at a red light,..seeing someone else opposite also with red light, going straight through or turning left, or cutting in front of someone else to get ahead, risking being pulled oer, witha god damn cell phone, and recently texting***** a person caught texting, i feel,has no right driving. thier irresponsable...might as well put a small color tv int he dash too, crank some porno while your at it...

I was recently at a grocery store ringing up my purchase when I overheard the cashier tell a co-worker that she got a ticket and stiff fine for texting while driving. Of course she thought it was unfair and “I know what I’m doing, I can text and drive!”

I looked at her, held up my six pack of beer and said, “Cool, if you can text and drive, that means I can drink and drive too!” I’d be dead now if looks could kill.

I hope my sarcastic message got across, but I doubt it. I also hope her parents added additional punishment. As well as higher insurance premiums.

reply to post by buni11687


This is one law I support. I can't count how many times I have had to dodge people (young women in particular) who were clearly texting.

Every state should have this law, and enforce it!

Damn, I drove through the freeways into downtown Los Angeles this morning, and people are texting and using cell phones everywhere, you are forced to assume that these drivers are distracted and will cause an accident.

It's extremely dangerous.

It's too bad that law enforcement is more interested in harassing people over stupid things and driving by people texting and driving without taking any action.

This is one law everyone (not texting) should support.

I'm not quite understanding why it's such an important thing to do while driving. (or grocery shopping or going to the beach with your kids...) What has entranced us so much that we can't take 5 from our stupid gadgets? I got my first cell phone (no text, no internet capabilities) about 11 years ago. I remember driving just so I could call someone 'cause I thought it was cool. I also called people from the grocery store because I could and they were all, "you're in the store? GET OUT!" Okay, that lasted about a week and I was over it.

Just this morning, I was leaving to go to my kids' school and the lady across the street who was out doing yard work started talking to me and walking over. No, she wasn't driving but it didn't make her actions any less disgusting. I was in a hurry but was polite and waited for her. She got up to me and asked me something and as soon as I went to answer her, her phone rang and she just answered it and walked away. No, "Sorry, hang on," no, "Hey, i gotta take this, have a nice day!" She just turned and walked away just like that. How frikkin' rude are people?

I have a laptop and a home phone. It's all I need. I have a pre-paid phone that I keep in my car for emergencies. It's not only dangerous to be calling/texting (or eating or applying makeup or changing your music) while driving, it's unnecessary and can easily be put aside until you stop at the next light or pull off the road. So when I see people doing something other than watching the road, I don't care what it is, all that tells me is that people are selfish and only care about what they're doing at that moment and have no concern with anyone around them. At all. Period.

/rant

The problem I see with passing laws like this is that it won't stop the problem and will make it worse because people will be spending even more attention to keeping the phone from view, so it will just be an additional distraction.

I was raised to be respectful to others and I teach my children the same. I have to wonder what parents teach their kids where it's perfectly acceptable to not give a crap about anything but yourself?

You crazy Yanks !
You'll be banning watching TV while driving next !




Txting or speaking on a mobile/cell phone without hands free has been illegal
in UK for quite a long time now !


Peace