Illinois and DC ban texting while driving
In an important and emerging trend, both Illinois and DC banned texting while driving. Illinois in a proper bill and DC in an emergency Multi-purpose crime bill.
The ban in Illinois went into effect earlier this August as did DCs.
Illinois and DC will join a growing list of states looking to curb accidents linked to texting. Oregon and New Hampshire banned texting drivers in July, and Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington and the District of Columbia already have laws in place. Four U.S. senators announced their plan to push for a federal ban on July 29. U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said the Obama administration will convene a summit to discuss how it can end accidents caused by distracted drivers.
As we’ve said, US DOT Secretary Ray LaHood is we feel the voice of reason in this rush to “get a bill”. Getting a bill specifically banning texting is good, but La Hood has chosen the broader path of distracted driving in his summit, that we believe is where the focus needs to be. There are far more distractions that even a smart phone can offer other than “texting”, including holding a cell in one hand when you talk. As most who drive a stick can attest, it’s almost impossible to do unless you’re at speed on an interstate, even then it’s dangerous. Smart phones offer the twitter addicted a huge driving distraction, perhaps worse than texting alone. Web browsers and just about anything else you can imagine.
When the Fed does sit down to visit this problem in congress, as I’m sure it will, let’s hope that the broader scope of Sec. La Hood’s efforts help craft a bill that will address distracted driving as a whole, not just one “hot today, not tomorrow” aspect of it.
The Illinois bill provides clear provisions for allowing drivers to text message while their vehicle is stopped in neutral or in park. That’s common sense that some states have missed; however if someone is pulling into breakdown lanes often, then merging back into traffic, that poses a danger as well; one we all have done at points—breakdown lanes are named that for a reason, and everyone needs to chech thier vehicle occasionally, hopefully fewer times actually do break down. The DC bill has no such provision.
While treading slowly on this all-to-long ignored problem is not an option, we need to carefully consider all the ramifications that too tightly worded bills bring. We don’t just need laws, we need a unified way of tracking the results of the law. That will be the hardest part of all, but it’s important.
We’ve been sucked up into this vortex of opinion and hyperbole. In the rush to save lives one thing that trauma medicine tells us is bonifide statistics are the only way we can track a laws effect. Law for the sake of law is short sited. Law for the sake of saving lives and actually being able to TRACK same is the way to go.
We don’t really have a cogent way to track trauma injury in this country. How on earth can you know how many have suffered true life changing trauma injury from distracted driving when we can’t even sort it out perfectly for drunk driving? When it comes to driving it’s all about death, trauma injury needs to be added to that equasion. The statistics for so many traffic dangers will become so much clearer and consise once we do that. Trauma Restistrars in bonafide trauma centers track all kinds of stats, that’s where the data gathering needs to start.
Let’s get it done nationally, but let’s make sure we get it done right. First things first, let’s see what the distracted driving summit comes away from the table with in terms of recommendations, then let’s move forward with something more than patchwork.
On the other hand, education has been proven in both drunk driving and seatbelts to have an effect. Education in this area will count greatly in slowing the death and serious injuries associated with this emerging trend. Let’s never forget that it’s always laws + education that really makes a difference.
