Breeze Perspectives: Text while you drive, you could end your life
Or so say proponents of a bill proposal to make texting-while-driving a punishable offense
Do you ever text your friends while driving to class? Your days of vehicular texting could be numbered. According to Anita Kumar of The Washington Post, the Virginia General Assembly briefly considered a blanket ban on text messaging while driving, or TWD.
TWD is when someone types or reads text messages on their cell phone while operating a vehicle. It is already a punishable offense for people under the age of 18 to operate a cell phone while driving; however, current laws protect drivers from being pulled over for TWD alone. Instead, drivers must be stopped for another offense first, making enforcement difficult. The newly proposed law, currently delayed for further study, would have made TWD a first offense, one punishable by a $250 fine—regardless of age.
Though the bill’s delay comes for a good reason—more research into its impact on emergency responders, among other factors—it is imperative that some version of the ban becomes law. It may seem like common knowledge that texting while driving is a bad idea. By definition, texting is one of the most distracting activities a driver can do. Text messaging requires at least one hand and two eyes—both key components to driving.
A quick text message, one using both hands, generally takes a few seconds to pound out. Transfer that to a car, and that’s a few seconds the driver isn’t paying attention to the road. Furthermore, behind-the-wheel texts take even longer because the driver usually devotes one hand to, you know, driving. It only stands to reason that text messaging is one of the most idiotic, dangerous things someone can do while driving.
Again, all of this seems like common sense, but I don’t wish to condemn readers who text while driving—mainly because I do it, too. Back when I was new and naïve to the whole texting experience, I had no idea how anyone could text while driving. The first time I saw a driver typing away with me in the passenger’s seat, I scolded him with many profanities.
My indignation didn’t last long, however, as the next day I texted while driving to find out the score of a Ravens game. It’s convenient, stylish and incredibly dangerous. Sometimes I can even deceive myself into thinking I’m paying enough attention to the road.
Despite the danger and despite preachy opinion articles, people still text from the driver’s seat. According to the same Washington Post article, a Nationwide Insurance study found that 37 percent of drivers between the ages of 18 and 27 text while driving. In 2007, five cheerleaders died in a New York car accident, which was thought to be caused by TWD. The consequences are dire, but observation of any college campus shows that we won’t stop on our own. A law is necessary. Unfortunately, there are some lines of resistance.
The most significant argument against the bill is the difficulty of enforcing such a law. How will police officers identify culprits? Police officers are perceptive individuals, and a driver weaving around the road with a bowed head would be noticeable. Observation along with questioning could determine TWD as the culprit. Furthermore, the point of the law isn’t to catch everyone. It’s to deter enough people to make the road a safer place. I might not get caught, but if a friend texts me to complain about a $250 fine, I may be more inclined to keep my phone in my pocket while driving.
I’m trying to quit, but I still text while driving. Regardless, I support this bill completely and will be sending this article to my representatives. Hopefully, lawmakers will pass it after further study. If the law is passed, it will probably turn Port Republic Road into a sea of blue flashing lights—but that beats even one set of red lights responding to a text-caused crash.
Martin Steger is a sophomore SMAD major.
