New Legislation Would Ban In-Car Texting Nationwide
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August 19, 2009
| By:
Robert
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)Four U.S. Senators have introduced a bill that would make it illegal to send text messages while operating a vehicle.
The "ALERT Drivers" bill--known as Avoiding Life-Endangering and Reckless Texting by Drivers Act--would require states to ban drivers from texting or emailing while behind the wheel. States that fail to ban in-car texting within two years will lose 25 percent of their annual federal highway funding.
A recent Virginia Tech study found that drivers who send texts while operating a vehicle are 23 times more likely to be involved in an accident than those who don't, and research has shown that texting while driving is as dangerous as driving while drunk.
By forcing drivers to pay more attention to the road, proponents believe the bill will significantly decrease auto accidents and make roadways safer.
Mass transit operators--including bus drivers and train/light rail operators--would be included in the ban.
Fourteen states and Washington, D.C., currently ban drivers from texting.
For more information about cell phones and driving, check out InsWeb.com's Cell Phones and Driving article.
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