Save Lives -- Eliminate Distractions While Driving

I am writing in response to the blog “Texting and driving…it can wait” by the author of the One Star Two Stripes political blog. I 100% agree with this post that that the use of hand-held devices while driving should be banned – ASAP – statewide. Effective as of January 1, 2015, Austin was the first city to pass the ban on texting while driving citywide. There are a number of city ordinances on phone usage while driving in Texas, but none to this extent.

I was shocked to in “Texting and Driving…” that looking away for 5 seconds while driving is equivalent to driving the entire length of a football field! That really helps to create a visual of the distance we drive while just looking away from the road for a few seconds (which is not even enough time to write one text message).   

According to the Texas Department of Transportation, one in five crashes is due to driver distraction. TX DoT also reported that 100,825 car accidents – and 468 deaths - in 2014 were related to distracted driving. There’s no doubt that cell phone usage is one of the top distractions while driving, and that many roads would be safer – and lives saved – if the state prohibited use of cell phones while driving statewide.

Within 6 months of the law being in effect, I was pulled over and received a hefty $220 ticket for cell phone usage. I had barely touched my phone while driving that day, but was unfortunate enough to be in the eyes of a policeman during those two seconds. As unfortunate as the fine was, I actually believe that it was a fortunate occurrence, as it now has me question every time I pick up my phone in the car. I still often see people on the roads in Austin with their phones to their ears, and hope that cops make their way around to everyone violating this new law. It really does take punishment to counteract this nasty habit the majority of us do without question every time we’re in the car. I hope Texas enacts this law statewide ASAP.