NEWS
Legislator: Don’t txt while driving
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by Christie Taylor
Monday, November 26, 2007
A
Republican state legislator introduced a bill last week that would make it
illegal for cell phone users to send text messages while driving.
Sen.
Alan Lasee, R-DePere, said the rapid rise in text messaging in recent years is
a growing danger on the nation's roads and highways, prompting him to draft the
legislation.
Currently, Wisconsin's inattentive driving law prohibits a driver from being "so
engaged or occupied as to interfere with the safe driving of such vehicle."
Another provision also forbids televisions visible to
anyone in a front seat.
But
Lasee's law would specifically forbid text messaging, with much harsher
penalties than the current law's $20 to $40 fine for first-time offenders.
Under Lasee's bill, a first-time offender could face up to $400 if caught text
messaging while driving. If an injury resulted, offenders could be fined up to
$2,000 and would spend at least 30 days in jail.
"The
message is this is a practice that you don't do while you're driving, period,"
Lasee said.
According to a recent survey by the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet
Association, an international organization of wireless communications industry
members, text messaging has been increasing with the growing use of cell
phones. In 2006, 158 billion text messages were sent, almost twice the number
sent in 2005.
And
according to Lasee, a survey of 16- and 17-year-olds conducted by American
Automobile Association and Seventeen magazine found that 28 percent of young
drivers send text messages while driving.
Lasee said he was inspired to write the bill by recent accidents involving text
messaging, including the deaths of five New York girls who were killed in a car
accident after the driver had been sending text messages on the road.
Lasee
added the rising popularity of text messaging particularly among young people
means it's just a matter of time before a tragedy occurs.
"Kids in
schools — they all have cells, they all use text messaging, they're growing up
with it," Lasee said. "To them it's an activity that would be commonplace, to
hop in the car and start driving and sending messages."
Bonnie Sesolak, development director for drivers' rights organization the
National Motorists Association, said it is excessive to ban individual
behaviors that may lead to inattentive driving.
"There's
certainly a lot of other distractions out there as well," Sesolak said. "You
can't have laws for every specific thing. If we have a law against text messaging,
why not outlaw drinking coffee while driving?"
Text messaging needs its own law, Lasee said, because it is an activity that
requires drivers to take their eyes off the road in order to read messages and
punch keys.
Steve
Siglinsky, a recent University of Wisconsin graduate, said he agrees with
Lasee's observations, having seen it a number of times himself.
"I know
a handful of people who can text without looking at their phone, but not many,
and even if they can, it still takes attention off of the road," Siglinsky
said.
Even though Siglinsky occasionally sends text messages while driving, he said
he tries to minimize the danger.
"I
specifically choose not to text when I can call someone," Siglinsky said. "But
sometimes texting gets quicker results with certain people."
Anonymous (November 26, 2007 @ 12:18pm):
"I specifically choose not to text when I can call someone," Siglinsky said.
Lovely...
In my experience, I've seen people turn the wrong way on one-way streets, blow through stop signs and stop lights while happily gabbing on their cellphones.
So I suppose the argument is that those cellphone users, laughing away, arms flailing away - are in total control and are "fully engaged" with their driving.
Nonsense. If you're going to ban text messaging, ban any hands-on use of a cellphone while driving.
Thing is, mom and dad, businessmen, soccer moms,etc. would be up in arms about that. Banning text messaging in general only impacts younger folks. So who cares...
Anonymous (November 26, 2007 @ 1:07pm):
I never thought I'd see the day, but I actually agree with Lasee for once. Yet I also doubt how effective the law will be, given WI's history of 9-time drunk driving offenders.
Anonymous (November 26, 2007 @ 1:21pm):
Why stop at texting though, why not also target cell phone calls, radios, babies in the back seat, shaving, make up, daydreaming, puppies, weather, food, and stress?
Anonymous (November 26, 2007 @ 5:01pm):
No shit you shouldn't be texting when you are driving...duh!
Anonymous (November 26, 2007 @ 5:09pm):
Total Cardinal headline
Anonymous (November 26, 2007 @ 5:48pm):
Cardinal headline? Ha!
The Herald has mastered the use of the colon...and that's not a good thing.
My favorite Herald headline ever:
"Mayor: Recycling works"
Imagine that.
Anonymous (November 26, 2007 @ 8:58pm):
I love when Cardinal people write comments on here. Maybe someday they'll have the guts to allow a little public dialogue on their site. (But the headline on this story is annoying.)
Anonymous (November 27, 2007 @ 5:01pm):
It's not about guts...it's about shitty web editors.
Believe me, 95 percent of Cardinal folks want comments.
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