Texting while driving same as DUI
Aztec Press Editor | Mar 25, 2010 | Comments 8
By Debbie Hadley
Driving while talking or texting is lethal. There are plenty of cases to prove that.
Last issue, an Aztec Press staffer suggested that cell phone use should be banned for every driver, period.
I have a bigger bone to pick: texting. Driving while talking is certainly not the best thing you can do while operating a motor vehicle, but texting while driving is a far worse crime.
Let me preface this by saying I have texted while driving. But after recently going cold turkey, let me provide important things you might be missing: brake lights, pedestrians, merging traffic. The list literally goes on.
For those of you who might be thinking, “that’s not me,” let me throw some numbers out to make you considerably less comfortable.
Research indicates that texting and driving is more dangerous than just talking on your cell phone.
Texting involves a meeting of “visual, manual and cognitive distractions,” according to distraction.gov. This means your eyes are off the road, your hands are off the wheel and you’re not paying attention to what you’re doing.
In fact, according to the University of Utah, texting while driving has the same effect as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent.
Let me be one of the many to inform you of this: you do not have the right to text and drive, and be a factor in a very possible car accident.
This month, the state Senate revived a bill on banning texting by drivers. If passed, there would be a $50 fee for being caught in the act or $200 if there was an accident.
These numbers may not mean much to young drivers, but the point is this: a life is not worth your 140 characters or less. Texting while driving is fast becoming the new DUI.
Nineteen states currently ban texting while driving. Arizona would be smart to do the same.
Filed Under: Opinion
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With the consistent stats and stories bombarding us, I have really changed my mind and thank you for writing the article. For some people (like me) it may take that 100th article or announcement to change their opinion. At first, with all the hype, Oprah’s Pledge and everyone jumping on yet another ban wagon, I thought this is plain stupid. I was guilty of texting and talking on the phone, but I have taken the time to read the articles, and hear the horrific stories and have really changed my opinion. I have put my phone down knowing that if I hurt someone else because of my carelessness it would stay with me forever because at this point it is not the lack of knowledge but plain stubbornness and stupidity.
This article was very interesting to me, but honestly can we think those who do it now will ever stop? My guess is no. I, admittedly, am guilty of texting while driving. Its more convienent. Texting, for many of us, is our main tool of communication. Its a fast easy way to get across a quick message, to say where to meet or to get directions. If this bill does pass for the state of Arizona, it will be difficult to enforce it since perpetrators keep their phones on their laps anyways. But I do agree that Texting is far more dangerous than to talking on the phone while driving but the best way to change this potentially dangerous behavior is through a high-profile campaign of public service announcements. For example, the UK has started to advertise gory (true) videos to stimulate the nightmareish consequences of texting and driving. This way would by a good tactic as to once in a blue moon enfocerment and punny fines.
This article gave it to us blunt with no suger-coding, which makes me think twice wheather I want to be fined. If the law passed I would stop because those $50 could be used on something else. I do text while I drive and I know its bad, but its just a bad habit, now I can say its a deadly habit.
This article amazed me of how much detail information is in this article. I agree with the writer because just as dangerous as driving under the influence, I think texting while driving is even a little bit more worse. Because you have no intentions on what your doing while looking at your phone and not paying attention to your surroundings. People who drive while texting not only put thereselves in danger but others as well. I like the fact on how the writer gives you something to think about after reading this and I will be sure to be one of the voters to ban texting while driving.
This article does really catch your attention, because it makes you aware of the dangers of texting while driving. I also think that the Senate is pretty smart for working on a bill, to cite drivers for texting. Personally i think that this bill would reduce accidents here in Tucson by at least 10% if not more. Texting is a major distraction, so why do it while driving? I personally would not be happy if was ran over by a driver that was distracted by texting their BFF.LOL!!
I can agree with this article because im guilty for texting while driving and if there was a law enforcing this i think there would be less accidents in our state. I believe the information is very good and it gives out a great argument on why this law should be enforced in our state of arizona.
This article is very eye-opening because it is all very true. No one should text while driving because it impairs our attention to the others around us. Cars are dangerous as is even while you pay 100% attention now a cell phone to distract you is even more dangerous. Texting can wait and if its something important they can call you and you can use your speaker phone or bluetooth.
I think that this piece its really interesting and it provides alot of information. Personally, I think that if the state Senate’s bill passes it will benifit and it will protect inoccent drivers by the ones who are texting. This information maeks me feel more secure to know that there are people working to stop this, because it not only endangers me but other drivers aswell.