As lawmakers continue to push forward the legislative ban on texting and driving, 19 states have already passed laws to make texting and driving illegal. Now the push on the states comes from Senators of a Bill sponsored by Robert Menendez (NJ), Charles Schumer (NY) Mary Landrieu (A), and Kay Hagan (NC). The texting while driving bill is designed to withhold highway money from states that do not implement the ban after two years. The New York Times is running a series of articles called Driven to Distraction on Texting While Driving.

According to the report by the U.S. Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, their studies found that drivers using cell phones are four times more likely to cause a crash than other non-cell phone drivers. 

Here is a chart provided by the Governors Highway Safety Association to help all of us confused about which states have imposed what regulations as far as driving with cell phones and what are the restrictions and the ban on driving while texting. 

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety text messaging is banned for all drivers in 14 states, now 19 states and the District of Columbia.  In addition, novice drivers are banned from texting in 10 states (Delaware, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Oregon, Texas, and West Virginia) and school bus drivers are banned from text messaging in one state (Texas).

 

Just what do these laws state and what is the violation for use of a cell phone in a motor vehicle and/or while texting while driving? While we can teach our children texting while driving is against the law, but as parents know that this activity will not necessarily cease. Therefore, what can we expect if our children are caught using a cell phone while driving or texting while driving, besides the obvious - a potential fatal crash?

 

Examples of Penalties in Some States:

If you are in Cleveland, Ohio motorists caught sending text messages while operating a vehicle will face a $100 fine for a first offense. If they're caught again, the penalty goes up to $250, and a third offense brings a $500 fine.

In Salt Lake City, UT - The Senate Transportation and Public Utilities Technology Committee on Friday unanimously approved SB149 which makes texting while driving equivalent to a DUI. According to a Dessert News article, the first offense for texting while driving, is a Class B or Class A misdemeanor. If a driver who is texting inflicts bodily injury in an accident, they can be convicted of a Class A misdemeanor or a third-degree felony. A driver who is texting can also face a third-degree felony charge if they have two prior texting convictions within the past 10 years or if an accident while texting results in a death."

According to New York State Senator Malcolm A. Smith on July 16, 2009 the New York State Senate passed S3619A/Dilan. The penalty for texting while driving is not to exceed $150 for the first offense.

Prevention: Crashproof Your Kids offers some surprising statistics on teen drivers and just think what happens when they add texting and driving to the mix! Avoid misunderstandings with your teen. The "Crashproof Contract" sets ground rules and expectations. They state "a signed agreement gives your teen very clear guidelines." 

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