Our Opinion: Ban texting while driving for everyone

Friday, January 7, 2011

We urge lawmakers to approve life-saving legislation to expand the ban on texting while driving.

Drivers younger than age 21 now are prohibited by state law from the distracting and deadly practice of texting while driving. We encourage legislators, who convened Wednesday, to extend the ban to all motorists.

State Sen. Ryan McKenna, D-Crystal City, has prefiled legislation, which has the support of Gov. Jay Nixon.

It merits bipartisan, unanimous support.

To that end, we encourage lawmakers and our readers to watch an 11-minute documentary recommended to us by Jefferson City Police Capt. Doug Shoemaker.

The documentary, “The Last Text,” is being distributed to schools, local governments and safety organizations.

It features testimony from a Missouri Highway Patrol trooper who responded to a fatal accident involving a student who was texting while driving, as well as the teen’s mother.

But equally, perhaps more, powerful are the brief stories told by young people whose lives were changed as a result of accidents involving texting while driving.

One is a young man who killed a bicyclist; another is a surviving sister; yet another is a victim who suffered severe head injuries.

Their stories are poignant and heart-wrenching, particularly because the accidents that altered their lives were preventable.

Distracted driving is neither a political nor partisan issue.

Texting while driving maims and kills Missourians. And it does so indiscriminately, certainly regardless of age.

Ban this risky, senseless practice — for everyone.

More like this story

blueknight 2 years, 4 months ago

There is already a law that covers this, "careful and prudent driving."

We do no need a new law specific for texting. If law enforcement agencies inform the public that you could be cited for "C & I Driving" for texting and prosecutors support those tickets, that will get the same result.

MK 2 years, 4 months ago

I don't think there should be a law against texting. I think if anything there should just be an increase in the penalties should you cause an accident due to your texting. I feel the same way about drinking and driving. I think the laws should be relaxed from what they are today, but if you hurt somebody while you are inebriated, you should suffer potentially stiffer penalties for it.

Either way though, its ridiculous for this law to only apply to young people and not everybody.

jcmom69 2 years, 4 months ago

If they are going top make the law it should apply to everyone. age has no bearing in the least. If you ask me, teens are much better at it than adults anyway. My teens can text 4 people at one time verses me taking 2 minutes to get a sentence completed;-)

ErikWood 2 years, 4 months ago

I think legislation has value in raising public awareness in forums like this one but it will be difficult to solely legislate our way out of this issue. I just read that 72% of teens text daily - many text more 4000 times a month. New college students no longer have email addresses! They use texting and Facebook - even with their professors. This text and drive issue is in its infancy and its not going away.

I decided to do something about distracted driving after my three year old daughter was nearly run down right in front of me by a texting driver. Instead of a shackle that locks down phones and alienates the user (especially teens) I built a tool called OTTER that is a simple GPS based, texting auto reply app for smartphones. It also silences call ringtones while driving unless you have a bluetooth enabled. I think if we can empower the individual then change will come to our highways now and not just our laws.

Erik Wood, owner OTTER LLC OTTER app

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