April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month thanks to a declaration from the National Safety Council (NSC). The council’s goal is to draw attention to the dangers of driving distractedly so the number of crashes that result from behaviors like texting and driving can be reduced.
The NSC is asking drivers to take the drive cell-free pledge while simultaneously sponsoring educational outreach programs nationwide. Local police forces will be cracking down on distracted driving throughout the month in partnership with the NSC’s campaign.
Although education and increased enforcement of laws can help, it may be more useful to ban cellphone use while driving altogether. Our Fort Worth car accident attorneys know that most people are aware that texting and driving are a dangerous combination, but many choose to engage in it anyway. Passing such a ban in Texas could be helpful but very challenging.
If you have been injured in a car accident contact an experienced injury attorney in Fort Worth today for a free, no-obligation consultation.
Will a Texting and Driving Ban Move Forward in Our State?
Currently, Texas has a ban on texting while driving in school zones and for bus drivers and drivers under the age of 18. Research Now released data that showed 49% of adults admitted to texting and driving compared to 43% of teens admitting to the same.
Texas representative Tom Craddick has proposed a bill that would make texting and driving illegal in our state, and this is not the first time such a bill has been introduced. In fact, an earlier attempt from Craddick to ban texting and driving was passed in the House and Senate but Texas Governor Rick Perry vetoed it out of concern that the government should not be telling adult drivers how to conduct themselves behind the wheel.
It is likely that this most recent iteration of Craddick’s bill will be vetoed in the same fashion, as Governor Perry has already publicly expressed that he still does not support the ban.
As long as the Governors stance is still against this bill it is unlikely such a ban will be successful in Texas. What does this mean for our state? It means Texas will remain in the minority of states that have no ban preventing adults from texting while behind the wheel. Currently, 39 other states have some form of this ban in place.
While an official ban may not be in place, Texas drivers can still make a personal pledge to drive cell-free through the NSC’s campaign this April, during Distracted Driving Awareness Month.