Reports fromt the Department of Transportation show that 16% of all highway fatalities, or 5,870 deaths, and 515,000 of motor vehicle accident related injuries are caused by distracted driving. That’s why 23 states are debating legislation to ban texting while driving Testing while driving is currently prohibited in 19 other states. There is even debate on introducing Federal legislation to ban texting while driving.
A transportation specialist for the National Conference of State Legislatures, Anne Teigen, says that 34 states are currently debating 194 bills regarding distracted driving.
Justin McNaull, the Director of State Relations for AAA, expects “a dozen or more” laws banning texting while driving to pass this year. He says, “There’s clear public disapproval of the behavior, and there’s strong public support for a law.”
The National Safety Council, along with Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, have launched the national, non-profit organization FocusDriven to combat distracted driving. The president of the new group, Jennifer Smith, says, “I’m kind of at a loss as to why every state doesn’t have a no-texting law…That’s a no-brainer.”
To read the full article from the USA Today, click here.
