Written by Melody Nowowiejski – School children won’t be the only ones gearing up to learn something new this August; drivers across Texas will be learning how to drive with both hands ahead of a new law that bans texting while driving, going into effect September 1st.
Since its advent, the cellular phone has proven both a blessing and a curse for users and their loved ones. We can all list the positive sides of the proliferation of cell phones in our society, but the list of negatives has been growing since before “smartphone” was a word. Long before texting was even an option for hand-held devices, my Uncle drove right past his dear, stranded wife standing on the side of the highway in a sweater he gave her, because he was using his new-fangled car phone.
And any Mythbusters fan can tell you that driving while merely talking on the phone can cause as much impairment as getting behind the wheel after a few drinks.
But, Texans love their independence and privacy, so this law has been 10 years in the making. Governor Greg Abbott signed the bill, sponsored by Representative Tim Craddick of Midland, into law yesterday. The law, which renders it illegal for a driver to “read, write, or send an electronic message” while driving, makes Texas the 47th state to enact such a measure. (Arizona, Missouri and Montana currently do not have an all-driver ban on texting while driving.)
The Governor has called on the Legislature to convene during the summer to further clarify enforcement so that the entire state is subject to a single statute concerning the use of hand-held devices. Various cities in Texas have laws already in place, some more restrictive than HB62 and prohibiting cell phone usage of any kind, including hands-free. The Governor’s request could ease those restrictions, making driving across the state a test of stamina and not legal memory.
