By a vote of 5-4, the Arlington, Texas city council made texting while driving within the city limits a crime. Despite lots of controversy over the proposal, drivers caught texting will now face a Class C Misdemeanor and a $200 fine. While the ordinance refers to texting generally, it also bans facebooking, tweeting, and emailing. In fact, the only activity permitted on the phone is talking. Drivers in Arlington will be provided warnings for the near future if caught texting in an effort to educate the public about the new ordinance.

I have blogged on the dangers of texting and driving many times in the past, and the dangers cannot be overstated. Just look at this video again if you need a reminder. One valid critique opponents of the no texting ordinance have put forward is how are cops supposed to differentiate scrolling for a phone number and texting? This critique, however, shows that the texting ban does not go far enough. Drivers cannot look at their phone and pay proper attention to the roadway at the same time. From a public safety perspective, whether you are texting or scrolling through a rolodex on your phone, the risks to the public are the same in terms of causing a severe car wreck.  

The dangers of texting and driving are real. If you have been injured in a car wreck caused by a texting driver, call the Dallas and Austin car wreck attorneys at Wilson Trosclair & Lovins today at 214-484-1930.

The Texas legislature passed a bill that would make texting while driving a misdemeanor punishable by a $200 fine and up to 30 days in jail, and if texting led to a car wreck that caused serious injury or death, the offense would be elevated to a Class B misdemeanor with a maximum punishment of up to 180 days in jail and a $2000 fine.  The legislation includes email and instant messaging in the definition of “texting.”  This law follows cities, such as Austin, that previously banned texting while driving. 

Considering that driver inattention is one of major causes of car wrecks, this type of legislation is an important step in making our highways in Dallas, Fort Worth, and throughout Texas safer. Regardless of the new law, it is negligent to text while driving.  As such, if you were injured in a car wreck because the other driver was texting, call the Austin and Dallas car wreck attorneys at Wilson Trosclair & Lovins today at 214-484-1930.  Let us fight for your rights.

The video below puts the dangers of texting while driving into proper perspective.  It's a much needed remider that car wrecks can be life altering. 

A distracted driver is a dangerous driver. In 2009 alone, nearly 5500 people lost their lives and half a million people were injured due to distracted drivers.  In an effort to curb these dangers, federal regulators are proposing new rules prohibiting commercial truck drivers from texting while transporting hazardous materials.  This compliments rules already in place that prevent commercial bus drivers and truck drivers from texting on the job. The federal government is also working with private sector groups to promote distracted driving policies in the workplace.   The goal of these new regulations is to get drivers to put down their phones and focus on the road.  We have all seen the dangers that texting and cell phone use can cause on our highways.  No text message is worth the life of another. 

The Department of Transportaion press release can be viewed here.