Plea to the governor: Don’t veto texting-while-driving bill
Dave Belton is an airline pilot who serves on the Morgan County school board. He worked very hard to assure passage of a bill banning texting while driving in the aftermath of the death of a college student from his area.
(Update Saturday morning: Belton is en route to South America for his pilot job, but has done four TV appearances in the last 48 hours to create public awareness that the texting bill is in jeopardy. His e-mail list is calling and e-mailing on behalf of the bill and the Facebook page for the legislation grew to over 1,200 people in just a few hours. Supporters are getting out in full force for this bill in the next five days as the governor is likely to act by Thursday. )
He won passage of the bill, but says now the governor may not sign it. Belton said he had a short meeting with Sonny Perdue today, but the governor remains skeptical of the ability to enforce this law, explaining “The issue is whether law enforcement would pull you over for glancing at your cell phone. Were you ‘reading a text’ which is illegal or placing a call which is legal?”
But Belton said the bill’s advocates vetted the bill with the governor’s lawyers. Without the bill, Morgan says it is likely 240 Georgians will die every year in texting-related accidents.
Here is his plea to Sonny Perdue to sign Caleb’s Law:
A bill sits on the governor’s desk that 91 percent of the public supports.
So why doesn’t he sign it?
“Caleb’s Law” was born last Christmas when an 18 student young man from Morgan County accidentally killed himself texting-while-driving. Instead of hushing up their son’s mistake, the brave Sorohan family went public, boldly taking their story to anyone who would listen. When they asked me – a local School Board member – to lobby for a law, I humbly said I would.
Our sad and difficult journey came to apparent fruition when the Senate voted unanimously and the House by a 113-24 margin to pass SB-360 – “Caleb’s Law.” The bi-partisan vote came on the last day of the session, after months of pain-staking work was done to perfect the language. The slain teen’s mother – sitting in the gallery – wept. Her only hope – her sole consolation – was that other mothers wouldn’t have to suffer the way she did.
Her solace was short-lived, however, when she learned the governor may veto the bill she’d fought so hard – and lost so much – to craft.
According to “Car and Driver,” the reaction time of someone TWD is three times worse than when legally drunk. The Department of Transportation claims that TWD causes 1.6 million accidents a year, causing half a million injuries and 6,000 deaths. Literally hundreds of Georgians die every year TWD.
Yet the governor’s office quibbles over “enforceability” issues?
Law enforcement doesn’t get the credit they deserve. They’re professionals. They’re trained to make life and death decisions every day. The idea that their unqualified to handle TWD cases is ludicrous, and frankly insulting.
No bill is perfect. Lawyers vetted this legislation for months. To kill the bill now would be a gross abrogation of the will of the hundreds of citizens all over the state who lobbied for this bill.
It would be a tragedy if the governor killed this bill, because it would literally kill more Georgians. Hundreds more – every year. The statistics prove it.
Law enforcement wants this law. So do cell phone companies. Insurance companies spend millions warning about the alarming statistics. Even lawyers are posting expensive billboards in an effort to stop this deadly epidemic.
Infinitely more important: mothers want this law.
Dave Belton (R), Board of Education member, Morgan County
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
121 comments Add your comment
futile???
May 28th, 2010
9:47 am
I’m not sure if any effort to reason with this governor will produce a fruitful result. Is it just me?
Tweets that mention Plea to the governor: Don’t veto texting-while-driving bill | Get Schooled -- Topsy.com
May 28th, 2010
9:58 am
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by GraceBarkwell, Maureen Downey. Maureen Downey said: Plea to the governor: Don’t veto texting-while-driving bill http://bit.ly/d7UdJO [...]
John
May 28th, 2010
10:38 am
I haven’t found a police officer or prosecutor who wants this bill. Every one of them says it will be impossible to enforce, impossible to prove that a violation has occurred when the matter goes to court, and that it is a waste of time and resources. Gov. Perdue should veto this piece of legislation.
Jay
May 28th, 2010
10:59 am
I agree completely that people should not text while they are driving.
We don’t need a law for it. Same with seat belts and helmets.
Take some personal responsibility. If you don’t want your kids to text and drive, teach them not to do it, don’t give them a phone, or don’t give them a car.
Emily
May 28th, 2010
11:01 am
When the seat belt law was first introduced, a lot of people said it is not enforceable. I think the same thing happened about cell phone use while driving in other states. I’m not sure what is meant by “enforceable.” You can easily observe if anyone is texting. With all those dashboard cameras and other technology, I don’t see why this law cannot be enforced.
Speaking of an unenforceable law, doesn’t the city of Kennesaw has an ordinance that REQUIRES each household to have a gun? That will be an example of an unenforceable law – how do police establish a “probably cause” to search the house?
@ Jay
May 28th, 2010
11:03 am
Personal responsibility is fine for things you do in your own privacy. When your action/inaction can cost public something, then it is perfectly appropriate to have a law regulating those activities, IMHO.
James
May 28th, 2010
11:34 am
Rewrite the entire piece but replace the phrase “texting while driving” and “TWD” with “by being stupid” or “by doing stupid things” and it makes just as much sense. Being stupid and/or doing stupid things causes untold amount of damage to our society and kills millions of people every year and should be outlawed!
let's start with the top
May 28th, 2010
11:40 am
@ James,
I agree, just look at what our the most recent ex-President has done.
Batgirl
May 28th, 2010
12:07 pm
Maybe law enforcement officers won’t be able to catch all those who are TWD just like they can’t catch all drunk drivers. However, if a texter causes an accident, having a law against texting would allow charges to be brought against that person.
Been there done that...for 33 years
May 28th, 2010
12:10 pm
Can they not check phone records for verification of texting while driving?
d2
May 28th, 2010
12:11 pm
If their is no money making scheme to help out his(Perdue) pockets then why should he sign it?
d2
May 28th, 2010
12:13 pm
should be there not their
Bob
May 28th, 2010
12:50 pm
So which of you want to drive in traffic with other drivers texting while they drive at 40-70 mph? Anybody want one of those drivers behind you when traffic comes to a screeching halt?
The law won’t stop it anymore than DUI laws don’t stop drunk drivers. However, there are plenty of law abiding people who would quit if they knew its against the law and that they could go to jail if they hurt someone while doing it. The ones that don’t quit sould go to jail.
Think about it; it takes both hands to type the text at the same time the driver’s eyes are off the road. The problem is only going to get worse until there are penalties for that behavior. I am a prosecutor and I will gladly prosecute someone who maims or kills an innocent person for driving while texting. Right now that might simply be called an accident and officers would likely not investigate a texting claim.
The governor needs to sign the bill and parents need to get tough with their teenage drivers.
WGD
May 28th, 2010
1:37 pm
I’m fine with the law banning all cell phone use by teens but against the one that the Governor will perhaps veto. And, Mr. Bob the prosecutor, the burden of proof will still be your responsibililty. The manner in which the bill is written makes this impossible. I pick up my phone to answer a call and the police officer behind me “thinks” I am “reading” an email? Now, you tell me, How I am then supposed to “prove” my innocence or, better, tell me how you will “prove” I was reading? The bill is simply poorly written.
Ros Dalton
May 28th, 2010
1:49 pm
Enforcement is a moot issue, this kind of law is about establishing a standard of behavior. Right now there is no universal expectation of danger or potential punishment for texting while driving. Yes, that’s so because people are collectively rather stupid and unwilling to educate themselves, but you can’t force people to learn so what needs to be done is to take the choice out of their hands.
These kinds of laws do show results. They’re by no means an ideal solution, but they are better than doing nothing.
drew (former teacher)
May 28th, 2010
1:56 pm
Seems like a no brainer to me…the bill should be signed, period. And if no one wants to enforce it, so be it. The fact is, texting while driving is stupid and endangers not only the driver, but everyone else on the road with them. And if the bill does nothing but provide some closure for Caleb’s family it’ll be worth it.
bootney farnsworth
May 28th, 2010
2:32 pm
what possible reason can Sonny have for not siging the bill?
even if he disagrees with it, objecting makes him look even more
foolish
John Foster
May 28th, 2010
3:21 pm
There’s no need for an extra law. Reckless Driving charges can be levied against any person who causes an accident while doing anything improper. We don’t need more laws. We need to get creative about enforcing the ones that are already on the books. As for other people’s activities endangering me, I bought a life insurance policy as a hedge against their activities. I also updated my will, and power of attorney if I end up in a persistent vegetative state. We’re all going to die one day. There’s no need to get all irrational about that eventuality.
Northview (Ex)Teacher
May 28th, 2010
4:20 pm
Too bad there’s not a law against governing while stupid.
RickR
May 28th, 2010
4:39 pm
Boss Hog is at it again! So much for common sense. Maybe he’ll finally get those Duke boys!
PR
May 28th, 2010
4:41 pm
What do you expect…Sonny Perdue is a moron. He probably can’t read the bill so he doesn’t understand it. I could never figure out how this idiot got elected governor.
CLEVON LITTLE
May 28th, 2010
4:42 pm
ANSWER: LAW should read that TEXTING while driving is illegal, BUT you cannot be pulled over for TEXTING only. However, if you are in an accident and there is ‘reasonable suspicion that you were TEXTING, then the court can subpoena your TEXTING phone records to be used in court. This would make people think twice about TEXTING, AND it would avoid people getting pulled over and/or ticketed by TEXTING. WOW, THAT WAS HARD TO FIGURE OUT!!!
CLEVON LITTLE
May 28th, 2010
4:46 pm
ANSWER: LAW should read that TEXTING while driving is illegal, BUT you cannot be pulled over for TEXTING only. However, if you are in an accident and there is ‘reasonable suspicion that you were TEXTING, then the court can subpoena your TEXTING phone records to be used in court. This would make people think twice about TEXTING, AND it would avoid people getting pulled over and/or ticketed by TEXTING. WOW, THAT WAS HARD TO FIGURE OUT!!!
Warrior Woman
May 28th, 2010
4:46 pm
The proof of call v. text is in the cell phone records. It’s simple to check whether the phone activity was a call or a text.
Concerned Parent
May 28th, 2010
4:46 pm
“The issue is whether law enforcement would pull you over for glancing at your cell phone. Were you ‘reading a text’ which is illegal or placing a call which is legal?”
Really Sonny, I am not a trained officer yet I can ALWAYS tell when someone is texting while driving. PASS the bill and save some lives.
Bubba the Goat Hunter
May 28th, 2010
4:49 pm
The kid who crashed through my fence while speeding and drunk, also admitted to police he was texting, too.
The OX
May 28th, 2010
4:53 pm
I can’t say I am surprised. The same elitist that imposes his own morality on the people by not letting them vote on Sunday alcohol sales. So you don’t have to enforce it. But when your son or daughter or loved one is killed and cell phone records prove that the offended was texting then you wil lbe glad you had the law to assign liability. Maybe Sonny likes texting and driving. HE is probably too tied up with his rigging his hometown land deals to really think about it.
LawsForEverything
May 28th, 2010
4:53 pm
I think there should be a law against putting on makeup while you’re driving (MWD), eating while driving (EWD), drinking coffee while driving (DCWD), screaming kids in cars while driving (SKCWD) . . . oh wait – there is – it’s called reckless driving and if you hurt or kill somebody while doing these things, I’m pretty sure you can be arrested and punished; the same thing applies to texting. Common sense says don’t do it – but people do anyway. My daughter just turned 16 and signed a contract saying that if she is caught texting while driving (very easy for me to tell via VerizonWireless.com), she will not drive again until she is 18. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t TWD. HAGD everyone.
Ole Guy
May 28th, 2010
4:55 pm
There exists, within nature, the law of survival of the fittest. Within the human domain, mental, as well as physical fitness impacts upon this law. If people insist on becoming victims of Darwin, so be it. The sad part, however, is that these people seem to have absolutely no compunction that their deeds may likely destroy the lives of, not only their own loved ones, but the loved ones of others. No other decision could exemplify self-centered selfishness better.
We often lament the need for legislated decency and common sense. What’s worse is state leadership who neither sees nor understands the need for such legislation.
american 2
May 28th, 2010
4:56 pm
Veto the seat belt law. I want to have a choice as an American whether I can do this or not…why does the government feel it should intervene in my right to chose what I feel is best for me. If I die, I die….I need NO One to dictate my personal freedom – whether I die or not as this is America right?
Eric
May 28th, 2010
4:57 pm
yeah great.. another BS reason ie..seatbelts.. that the police can use to pull over ANYONE they want at ANY time.. ” yes your Honor.. I saw she glanced down at the side of the car.. i thought she was texting”…
THANK YOU Sonny for having the guts to veto this attempt to further undermine our civil rights..
Bill
May 28th, 2010
4:58 pm
I think it’s a GREAT law..
Let the police pull over every damn Hispanic-looking driver under the pretext of “texting”,
then they can check their status.. and send ‘em the hell back to Mexico..
Duh!!!
May 28th, 2010
5:00 pm
Why don’t they use video cameras from major intersections? Time the idiocity, and send the court summons. The driver can be identified from the camera. There has to be a way!! Not only is TWD causing deaths in Georgia, but the driving quality has dropped significantly! Crackberry plus Facebook equals disaster on the road just waiting to happen!! Ya’ll have a great and safe weekend!
Ron
May 28th, 2010
5:01 pm
Being a distracted driver is allready illegal. The young man and many others break this law all the time. Why would these people obey this law?
Duh!!!
May 28th, 2010
5:01 pm
Eric, you’re an idiot!
DCSS Teacher
May 28th, 2010
5:02 pm
Well, gee, we can’t reliably enforce “thou shalt not kill”, so let’s just make it OK to commit murder! And it’s hard to enforce no smoking laws in restaurants, too, because sometimes people just put out their cigarettes when the maitre d’ comes over–so let’s all just light up! This law MUST be passed! The only way this kind of private behavior changes is if people fear being caught. Texting while driving doesn’t just endanger the texter, it also kills people who get hit by his or her car. It’s bad enough that we allow cellphones in cars: banning them is the direction we need to go in, not “you can’t tell whether someone is texting or dialing, so let’s allow both forms of distraction.”
blackbird13
May 28th, 2010
5:05 pm
Here is an idea,and it goes for duis too: make the penalties so severe that few would risk it being unenforceable. Ten year license suspension or something like that. I know people with multiple duis who have never lost their license for more than a year. If I thought I was going to lose my license for even one year over cell phone use, I would leave the damn thing in the glove compartment.
Of course, the real problem is that too many morons have driver’s licenses and cell phones. if someone is moronic enough to text and drive then that person should lose a license he/she shouldn’t have anyway.
Sprocket
May 28th, 2010
5:05 pm
Life-long conservative and voted republican since 1964 (Barry Goldwater); I hate to say it but Sonny will go down as our worst Governor since Ernest Vandiver. Why do these new breed politicians go brain-dead once they’re elected?
Big Man
May 28th, 2010
5:08 pm
Bob….who does it take both hands to type and text for? I can text on a standard cell phone with a regular number pad without looking. I can type on my BlackBerry with one hand. It doesn’t take 2. I was a habitual TWDer, but I value my life too much. I put the phone down and just pick up when i’ve reached my destination or at a stop.
JasonDawg
May 28th, 2010
5:12 pm
It’s a stupid law that creates a very slippery slope.
If you want to ban texting you need to ban smoking while driving as well. It seems to me that lighting things on fire and holding the burning object between your lips with an infant in his car seat and the windows rolled up while driving is more dangerous. But I don’t know, I’m just a stupid citizen, I need the government to take care of me.
I hope the Gov vetos this crap bill. How do you know I’m texting? Maybe I’m using my GPS on my phone? Is that against the rules?
UGA Law
May 28th, 2010
5:14 pm
To those of you who don’t know, this law clearly could not be enforced by police on the road. Even the seatbelt law would be difficult to enforce on the road. What it does, though, is make those who cause car accidents because they were texting much more liable to tort suits from their victims. Basically, if this bill became law, every time that someone caused an accident while they were texting and were sued by the victims of that accident would automatically be liable for those victim’s damages so long as the victim would prove “by a preponderance of the evidence” that the person who caused.
JamesInGA
May 28th, 2010
5:15 pm
This is impossible to enforce and too interpretable. If I have an iPhone with GPS and I am using that to navigate it would appear that I am texting because I am “looking at my phone”. Frankly, I don’t think anyone should even be touching their phone while driving…or their GPS…or their girlfriend…or their iPod…or their french fries from the drive through. It’s all distractions and it all has the same ability to create the same result. But this is a bad law and should not be signed. It will have zero positive impact and give the police state more power to abuse. Besides, the cops are too busy generating revenue from speeding to save their jobs. I see the most ridiculous driving every single day but there are never police pulling people over for being dangerous reckless drivers – regardless of what’s distracting them. I bet half the people clamoring for this law to be signed sit there in traffic with one hand firmly on their cell phone…how can they use a turn signal? How can they turn their head to look for traffic before they switch lanes? THEY DON’T. But God forbid they hang up their phones. But then they’ll say texting is THE problem. BS
Just me
May 28th, 2010
5:15 pm
Sprocket . . . Perdue was brain dead before he was elected . . the general public just didn’t know that but those around the Capitol knew.
All texting and cell phone use while driving should be banned!! Then it becomes easier to enforce.
JasonDawg
May 28th, 2010
5:20 pm
“And if the bill does nothing but provide some closure for Caleb’s family it’ll be worth it.”
Drew, are you kidding me? Are you actually saying it’s ok to pass a LAW so someones family will feel better. You’re a Moron.
“The only way this kind of private behavior changes is if people fear being caught.”
DCSS Teacher, are you joking as well? Oh, I forgot. People always stop doing illegal things because you told them they can’t. That’s why we have no crime. And to think you’re educating young minds. We are doomed.
Carolyn
May 28th, 2010
5:25 pm
I myself have tried to text while I was driving. Almost ran a right light. My phone is with me in the front seat. I will not text while I am driving. Please sign the bill!
Tyler
May 28th, 2010
5:26 pm
Car wrecks are going to happen as long as there are cars on the road. It doesnt matter whether someone is texting, talking or not talking on the phone. This is an inevitible fact and a chance we all take when we choose to drive a car. The governor should veto this bill, just another piece of useless legislation that will give governmet control over our lives. Sonny understands this, and believes in smaller government, not BIG goverment. We dont need more laws, we need less laws; we need to be more responsible for ourselves. Come on people!!!!
concerned
May 28th, 2010
5:27 pm
I reside in Forsyth County where the police openly and avidly target teenagers often abusing their position of power and “harass” the kids. This just seems like another excuse for police to make a traffic stop, automatically assume drinking because of the age, which once that assumption is made its all over. Breathalyzers reading 0.0, 3 cop cars per stop (for those rowdy ‘dangerous’ high schoolers?), drug dogs en route, overreactions, mind games. Its almost comical. It is becoming ridiculous out here, just because a select group of students does drugs condemns them all? I thought the police were here to protect and serve, not be blatantly ignorant and automatically pass judgement! Give them a chance!
LJ
May 28th, 2010
5:30 pm
This is a law that cannot be enforced in any way. It is a POINTLESS law that is a knee-jerk reaction to a tragic event.
If you want to make the roads safer start by increasing the difficulty of driving tests and be willing to REVOKE licenses.
I would respect Sonny more if he did veto this bill…
Tyler
May 28th, 2010
5:33 pm
Duh, I think you are the idiot, not Eric!!!!! We might as well pass a llaw for eating, drinking, smoking etc. while driving. Damn stupid people that want the government to dictate every single piece of their life! Im sorry the young man got killed texting while driving, I really am, but it’s almost like outlawing guns, doesnt make sense!! The gun doesnt kill anybody, the person behind the gun does; if there was no gun, they would use a baseball bat! I hate this bill!!!!! PLEASE Governor, don’t give into this bill!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Elliot Garcia
May 28th, 2010
5:37 pm
I am sorry that a young man is dead, but you shouldn’t have to legislate common sense. This law is impossible to enforce and a complete waste of time.
wow
May 28th, 2010
5:37 pm
We pass a law saying people can keep their roadkill, but we are worrying about vetoing a bill on TWD?…do you know how many students I see fall in the hallway of school when they are WWT? (walking while texting) I dont want to be in the same area code when some of my students take the wheel. If you talk about enforcement, theres a law in the state of GA saying you couldnt have sex with the lights on. Thats “well enforced” Sign the bill and take your kids phone away when they abuse their privileges
I wonder where Georgia’s priorities are these days.
Sally Fields
May 28th, 2010
5:39 pm
I can’t believe people still text and drive. or even tweet and drive! It’s bad enough that people talk on their cell phones while driving! ..
Sally Fields
May 28th, 2010
5:40 pm
I can’t believe people still text and drive, or even tweet while driving! ..
Sally Fields
May 28th, 2010
5:42 pm
I can’t believe people still text and drive!!!
Tyler
May 28th, 2010
5:42 pm
Don’t pass this bill…..My Lord! People take responsibility yourselves.
JasonDawg
May 28th, 2010
5:42 pm
When will all of you out there begging that this bill be signed into law realize that just because the government tells someone they can’t do something doesn’t me they won’t do it.
The bill is a pointless waste of time and money for something that is already technically against the law.
three jack
May 28th, 2010
5:43 pm
wow brings up an interesting dilemma…if you’re texting while running over a deer (or some other road critter), do you still get to keep the roadkill?
DW
May 28th, 2010
5:43 pm
SERIOUSLY?? You now want the govt to go through your phone records for this?? Really??
Boots
May 28th, 2010
5:45 pm
I understand the position of the police. But, here’s a possible solution. Make it against the law to engage in any activity involving a cell phone while the vehicle is in motion. If a police sees you with a cellphone in your hand, gotcha!
jay
May 28th, 2010
5:46 pm
I think it’s funny how ppl think that this bill will magically makes kids not text and drive. This bill is stupid. If you cause an accident because you were texting and driving Ken Nugent will sue your azz. Period! No need for the government on this one. Besides I use my phone for the phone, the camera, pictures, MUSIC in or out of the car, stock quotes, emails, etc. How will an officer deal with all those variables…..
Tweets that mention Plea to the governor: Don’t veto texting-while-driving bill | Get Schooled -- Topsy.com
May 28th, 2010
5:46 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Laury Gardner, ajc Transportation. ajc Transportation said: Texting-while-driving ban might not get signed? http://bit.ly/bb41l6 [...]
Stuart
May 28th, 2010
5:50 pm
What the bill should also say is for all drivers to be hands free! That is easier to enforce, however, our morons in congress didn’t think of that.
Allen
May 28th, 2010
5:51 pm
I nearly had four accidents yesterday . . . ALL were related to drivers with a phone held to their ear . . . . . if I were not a defensive driver, there would have been multiple accidents caused by inattentive drivers not fully focused. I support a bill to ban texting while driving . . . and talking on a cell phone, i.e., using one hand to hold receiver to your ear . . . the exception is use of a speaker or other hands-free device. I have been guilty myself and, on numerous occasions, have nearly had an accident due to not being fully focused on driving.
John D
May 28th, 2010
6:05 pm
Ok, this is obviously a tragic situation. But, we do not need politicians telling us not to text while driving. An 18 year old is an adult and should be responsible for their actions. If we were to impose bans on cellphone usage then bans on reading and using make-up while behind the wheel should be included as well. Everyday there are people on the interstate reading novels or applying eyeliner…and you all are worried about cell phones!
travis
May 28th, 2010
6:11 pm
While we’re at it, why don’t we ban listening to the radio, reading the newspaper, putting on makeup, talking to passengers, or even using our GPS systems. I’m sorry, but if Sonny veto’s this bill it will actually be the 1 smart thing he’ll have done while in office. Of course texting while driving isn’t safe or smart, but neither is eating or doing a number of things i listed above. The simple fact is that officers already have the power to pull over drivers if they are seen as driving reckless. I was at a committee meeting when this bill was first introduced and it’s being pushed because the parents of the individual who died can’t come to the realization that their child made a mistake. Bringing government into the picture isn’t going to solve the problem because this law will simply be used as a revenue stream for the state. Texting will continue because enforcement isn’t possible. It boils down to basic education. I was at a committee meeting because I was learning about citizen lobbying and trying to engage as a citizen lobbyists. This group is Lobbyist for Life and Liberty (http://lobbyistsforlifeandliberty.org/). Although they disagreed that the law would be effective and that they believed it would take away from individual freedom, they did submit that if the law had to be passed that all proceeds would go to an education fund and not go to the general fund. However, this language was not included in the final bill. So no matter your personal view on this legislation, for or against, those in power could care less about its effectiveness. They simply want to have the revenue.
Boots
May 28th, 2010
6:15 pm
Enter your comments here
Worried Driver
May 28th, 2010
6:22 pm
Don’t you idiots see it? Texting is bad and not safe. The police and cell phone companies can indeed tell what a person was doing at any point in time. Ticket them. Jail them. It’s insane. Come on, you Rs, this is insane. You must be applying eye liner and that’s why you don’t care. Go ahead. Blow dry your hair, apply make up, read a novel, and kill people. How stupid.
Dvae
May 28th, 2010
6:22 pm
This is what I fail to understand about Atlanta (our Govenor) won’t sign this ban against texting into law, but no Sunday alcohol sales.
You People Are Dummies
May 28th, 2010
6:26 pm
I don’t like Sonny Perdue. But in this case, he’s absolutely correct. Of course, it’s wrong to text while driving. Of course innocent lives are threatened. Of course we need to outlaw it. But enforcing the ban? Good luck, folks. There’s no way a prosecutor can prove that texting while driving was taking place. Good idea, impossible to enforce.
jake's mom
May 28th, 2010
6:29 pm
Honk if you love Jesus. Text while driving if you want to meet him!
Worried Driver
May 28th, 2010
6:30 pm
Yes, a prosecutor can prove you were texting. All they have to do is check with Verizon, AT&T and such. They can tell. Easy fine add ons after the accident…sadly. But I bet Sonny likes his mimosas at lunch on Sunday before 12:30. What a stupid law. My friends from Europe laugh at it each time we depart the Hartsfield Airport on a Sunday morning. I have to agree.
FF
May 28th, 2010
6:30 pm
What would solve the issue of enforceability is banning the use of cell phones while driving. That way, if a cop sees you looking at your cell phone while you’re driving, he has just cause to pull you over. And make the fines stiff. Works in other states. No reason it can’t work here.
Jim Chapman
May 28th, 2010
6:45 pm
Why is there no longer any common sense is this country? This bill is completely removed from any kind of common sense. Face it..you can’t legislate morality, and by the same token you can’t legislate safe driving with the further passage of these inane laws. Let’s stop the insanity, and get back to common sense.
Hmmmmmmm
May 28th, 2010
6:55 pm
Stupid is as Stupid does…… Please stay out of our business……. We DO NOT need another STUPID LAW on the books! People take responsibility for yourselves! We don’t need the government telling us what to do…… Do these politicians have anything BETTER to do than this…. GOOD GRIEF!
I'm a drunk
May 28th, 2010
7:01 pm
but….therefore I can drink a 6 pack and drive safely…(but what if I go through a license check)and the Cobb County cop gets a “boner” and pops me for a DUI…even though I passed the Feild Sobriety Test….I am horrible at texting I have to look at my phone to text…I COULD KILL SOMEBODY…!!!! if I texted while I drove…I’m 42yrs old…I suck at texting…just sayin…
JTex
May 28th, 2010
7:05 pm
“I agree completely that people should not text while they are driving.
We don’t need a law for it. Same with seat belts and helmets.
Take some personal responsibility. If you don’t want your kids to text and drive, teach them not to do it, don’t give them a phone, or don’t give them a car.”
Personal responsibility? Really? Is that the mantra you’re going to spout when some kid plows into your car and cripples you? Because PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY means JACK to the victims. How about murder? We don’t need laws against murder – how about PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY!
What an idiot.
JTex
May 28th, 2010
7:07 pm
“you can’t legislate safe driving with the further passage of these inane laws. ”
Um, yes. Yes you can. You can take away the licenses of people who break them. What is inane are people like you who have become so fanatically anti-government that you can’t tell anarchy from freedom. These laws are designed to protect OTHER PEOPLE, not the texting idiot.
Save me from uneducated, stupid idiots.
HR
May 28th, 2010
7:10 pm
Sonny’s to busy building lakes and roads around his land to Sign anything like that.
David C
May 28th, 2010
7:10 pm
This Sunday I’ll text my friends while I’m driving to see if they got any Wine or Beer at their House, if not I’ll stop by a restaurant and have a few drinks and then drive home.
j mida
May 28th, 2010
7:10 pm
He is to stupid to help the people of georgia, if there is nothing in it for him forget about it.
You People Are Dummies
May 28th, 2010
7:14 pm
If you want to save lives, draft a law that prevents weaving in and out of lanes at 70 miles an hour on 285. Semis in the right lane only. THAT’S common sense.
Michael
May 28th, 2010
7:19 pm
What’s with all this incremental criminalization of everything? Just make cellphones illegal and you enforce it by giving $100 to everyone who turns in a cellphone user. Next, make driving illegal.
Jeff in ATL
May 28th, 2010
7:22 pm
In your house, be as stupid as you want. Driving down the road, the state has every right to pass a law like this. I personally think it should be illegal to talk on the phone unless hands-free. If people are too freaking stupid to realize they drive like morons talking on the phone or while texting, yeah, the government should essentially say, “You’re an idiot and can’t do that because you’re a freaking danger to society.”
Rick
May 28th, 2010
7:37 pm
Sonny has been a “do nothing” governor. Georgia needed leadership to handle the problems of illegal aliens and a poor transportation infrastructure. Sonny wasn’t the man for the job, he is not a leader.
Jim Chapman
May 28th, 2010
7:44 pm
I talk on the cell phone and text while I am driving all the time. I was able at one time to drink an alcoholic beverage while driving before they passed the “open container” laws here in this state. I’ve been driving for years while texting, and never had any problems. I never got into wreck because I was texting or entering data in to my GPS. I can’t help it if some idiot got into automobile wreck while texting, and died!! I can’t help it if your little idiot got into wreck, and died!!!! Why must the motorists who can safely text while driving be penalized because of the stupidity and carelessness of others!!! I am sick of these idiotic
laws!!! LEAVE ME ALONE AND LET ME DRIVE IN PEACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tigger
May 28th, 2010
7:55 pm
Does this law apply to law enforcement? Are they banned from texting while driving as well? If not, why not?
Lee
May 28th, 2010
8:02 pm
“A bill sits on the governor’s desk that 91 percent of the public supports.”
Really? I would say perhaps 90% might say that you shouldn’t text and drive, but I hardly think that same 90% want a poorly written, unenforcible law.
There are numerous other activities that are just as distracting as texting. Dialing a number on the cell phone, fiddling with the GPS, changing out a CD, changing songs on an ipod, dropping a lit cigarette, stuffing a McFatty in your mouth, etc, etc. What you going to do, write a law for each one of these activities?
I think not. The governor is correct not to sign this bad piece of legislation.
Look before I leap
May 28th, 2010
8:05 pm
As a former USAF jet jockey, I was TRAINED to multi-task to a degree unknown to most people and I don’t even consider trying to text while I drive. I rarely even talk on my cell phone while driving and then the conversations are incredibly short – “3nd left on Maple then the red house on the left? Got it! See you in 5″ .
Most people seriously overestimate their ability to do something in addition to navigating a vehicle on a busy highway or even multi-task in general. Most people seriously underestimate just how much the brain needs to focus in order to remain a safe driver both in terms of NOT being a danger to others and be able to execute defensive driving skills.
Most vehicle accidents occur in less than a second – meaning that the situation goes from being nominal to complete inability to avoid the accident. One second is just about how much time it took to read the 1st 3 words of this sentence.
I am not a fan of too much government, but since so many people are self-absorbed, self-deluded or just plain clueless, it is clear that something needs to be done.
Perhaps the deterrant lies in upping the stakes in both the vehicle code as well as tort relief:
You cause an accident because you were texting results in:
Loss of license for 6 months
A fine in the thousands of dollars
Increase in your auto-insurance to 5X current rate.
Mandatory liability minimums of $250,000 for 5 years.
Ban on owning or using a cell phone for 18 months.
From a tort perspective, offer the ability to recover 10X actual damages – this alone will exceed most liability limits – the defendant could lose his or her house and savings.
Implied consent when obtaining a driver’s license would expand to include making cell phone records available to the courts and plaintiff’s counsel – no legal trickery to keep this information ‘private’.
Much of the above is already in place when it comes to DUI and perhaps some is covered by reckless driving statutes – but it is incredibly important that the government state unequivocally that driving while texting is:
DANGEROUS and ILLEGAL
and if busted it will cost you big time.
This is an activity that wreaks havoc in terms of property loss, countless injuries and hundreds of lives each year and it is much more preventable than DUI as TWD is not an addiction.
For those who believe this law is difficult to enforce, consider that only 10% of heroin and less than 30% of cocaine is intercepted before arriving in the United States – I suspect that even with those low rates of interdiction, most would not advocate we eliminate drug smuggling laws.
Difficulty in enforcement should not be a barrier to good law.
If caught
Smiling Jack
May 28th, 2010
8:09 pm
Sign the law!
Ted Turner
May 28th, 2010
8:10 pm
Emily, your an idiot. The law in Kennesaw says everyone MUST own a gun, “unless you dont want too”. Thus there is no law to enforce there. Stupid people need to stop having kids. Thats our problem.
dodgin idiots
May 28th, 2010
8:14 pm
D,JD …Governor sign the dadgum bill !!!
Look before I leap
May 28th, 2010
8:15 pm
I was initially thinking that Jim Chapman is in reality, Superman, but then I realized he is just self-deluded and lucky.
I can only hope that he that he removes himself from the human gene pool before he chance to breed.
On the chance that he has in fact found a female stupid enough to mate with him and produce offspring that have opposable thumbs and no tails, I can’t help but wonder if he’d feel the same way if some texting moron took out one of his brats?
Justine
May 28th, 2010
8:23 pm
Here is the way to solve it. Texting is documented with the service provider. Since some dont want to stop doing it here is what should happen. If they are involved in an accident and found to be at fought, there should be 8 points on their license. Yes, I understand there license will be suspended but there are consequences for negative behavior. If there is a faltality then they should be charge with non reducable homicide. If one can text and drive, they can read a book and drive. And we know that is impossible. I have almost been hit at least 5 times by people texting and more than that by people on the telephone. I ajm sick of it.
Steve St.Clair
May 28th, 2010
8:29 pm
Believe it or not…. my wife and I observed a state patrol officer texting while driving. I hope that technology to disengage the phones texting ability while driving will soon be put in place for everyone’s safety.
jonnycash
May 28th, 2010
8:33 pm
This is simple. Just like D.C. no handheld cellphones period, and they do enforce it. I don’t understand why lawmakers are so afraid to do this.
Orlando
May 28th, 2010
8:59 pm
Be careful what you ask for, people. Texting while driving is very dangerous. I’m sorry but this bill is poorly written and should be revised. There is just no way to enforce it as it stands now.
So there you are late for work again or on your way to a job interview (late or just on time). You look down at your radio, phone, Ipod, anything and the next thing you know you are getting pulled over by the cops. What does the officer say? Oh, I thought you were texting. Then you wait another ten minutes while the officer checks your license plate, insurance, and drivers license.
Then, check this out, If you were texting all you have to say is that i was just browsing through my phone or I wanted to call my wife and let her know I was getting off work late. What ’s the officer going to do, make you give him your phone so he can check your text messages? Come on, really? Do you really think that the local police department will subpoena the phone records of every driver that fumbles with their radio? Right! Too much money, time, to find out that I guess that driver was just fumbling with his navigation.
So then you will get pulled over everytime you look down for more than 3 seconds while driving. The police officer says, “well I saw you holding your phone and you were pressing buttons, you must have been texting while driving.” Oh really. So everyone who holds their phone and presses buttons while driving are texting?
Be careful what you ask for people. Trust me, you don’t want law enforcement to be able to stop you and search through your cell phone looking at your personal text messages and private photos everytime you pick up your cell phone and scroll through your contacts or address book (which you still have to do even with a hands-free device).
Police officers are humans too. And we are not living in the John Wayne Hollywood days where you could shoot the gun out of the bad guys hand. We have to be realistic. Nice law and a good message but it threatens violations of the 4th amendment.
I’ve seen people cross over lanes and I drive up next to them to see what their problem is and they are putting on make-up, eating, talking on the phone, reading newspapers, writing, looking in the backseat, just all kinds of stupid stuff. I myself was almost struck by a car while I was in a crosswalk. The driver was scrolling through an IPod. If someone is searching for music on their IPod on their lap how will you tell the difference? Will you waste the money and resources? That’s right, obtaining someone’s personal texts messages will cost. Wait til you get that citation for merely looking at your phone while driving and you have to take a day off from work to go to court and defend yourself or for the court to tell you that they checked your messages and found that your were telling the truth. Oh by the way those sexy messages you exchanged with your husband or wife the day before were kind of cute.
PDawg
May 28th, 2010
9:11 pm
You should have seen the blonde in the Lexus SUV at the 4 way stop at Wieuca/Lake Forrest. She was texting with 3 other cars at the stop. She never could figure out when or whether to go or not. But she never let up on the texting!
I don’t need a law. I just sit on my horn when I see it and it usually either pi$$es them off or scares the hell out of em. It’s great entertainment. But it is scary to see people on 285 at 70MPH and they aren’t even looking at the road. There head is down for 5-10 seconds at a time. Long enough to kill them and or someone else if something happens ahead of them.
Mama Says
May 28th, 2010
9:15 pm
The governor is 100% right.
I have been in law enforcement for 23 years. This bill is not a speeding ticket where you are caught on Radar, it’s not a red light violation where you are caught on the a red light camera or a police dash cam it’s a law that presumes you are guilty of something without any reasonable suspension. Remember that phrase—it’s hot in Arizona right now. Wonder how many of you folks are against the Arizona law which has a legal basis but support a Georgia texting law ? Come
to think of it Arizona could have just passed a texting law and avoided the whole mess.
Anyway,
I will put this in these terms. If you are holding a phone in your hand you will be subject to the police stopping you and taking that phone. You will also continue to pay your provider the monthly fee as the phone sits in a police evidence room. Sounds bad enough right ? $130 a month to Verizon until the police or courts give you your phone back !
Now you may wonder why. The US constitution places limits on searches and seizures right ?
Well due to the constitution the police CANNOT OPEN your phone and look at ANYTHING in it or displayed on it until they get a search warrant (UNLESS YOU WAIVE YOUR RIGHTS). Unless you desire to sit on the side of the road while the officer goes to the courthouse, applies for the search warrant, talks to the judge and then comes back to your car (where you have been waiting) I would suggest you push against the law. You may say this is not true, that you don’t have to sit there that long–Ok if you prefer to leave, he will then take your phone, let you go after he gets all of your information, then he will have to go get a search warrant-open your phone-and then read all of your text in order to see if you really sent one at the time he says you did-if you did, He still puts your phone in evidence, sits down and writes you a ticket- He will drive to your house to issue it (unless you live out of state or out of his jurisdiction-then it will mailed to you) and you can come to court and pay your fine.
All this could be avoided of course if you waive your right against self incrimination and tell him at the road side that he can open it. Then he will still read all of your text and write you a ticket. He will just know sooner rather than later what your wife is going to wear out to dinner that night and maybe even what she is going to have on under it !!!
In order to prove YOU were texting he will STILL keep your phone for evidence until court or your guilty plea. Even if you go to court and pay your fine you will then have to go to the police department to get your phone from their evidence room—–hope you don’t live in Sandy Springs and get stopped for texting in Waycross-cause that’s where your phone will stay, until you GO get it.
This doesn’t even take into consideration the fact that people will plead not guilty. How do you prove that the passenger didn’t just send the text and you were simply deleting it. Is it a anti deleting law ? How about a anti what time is it law (it is displayed on the phone right ?) Maybe it’s a anti stock quote law or better yet what happens if someone text you while you are driving ?, are they now a party to the crime ?, they could be under Ga law. How about this—lets say you are driving and texting—since the police will get your messages to prove it, what if you are texting another driver ? The simple act of a friend texting you that they are driving home could get the police knocking on their door after they read your messages, why ? because they discovered another crime while legally investigating your alleged crime.
This is a reactionary law, it is very unfortunate that lives have been lost to distracted drivers however the law is ridiculously assumptive and is particularly unenforceable. Folks scream about their rights now and police abuse of power- wait until the police can simply say they thought you were texting—–see how many people get pulled over who were not violating the law.
To all you cops out there who think your word is enough for court now a days–you know it isn’t and it hasn’t been since that one a**hole working the beat next to you decided he was the LAW and could do what ever he wanted to—–you know he is out there and you know how he goes about the job of policing, you know what he will do with yet another LEGAL reason to stop people.
Then again you also know that he will skip all that constitutional stuff and just take the phone and read the messages.
There are already enforceable, less intrusive laws on the books—we should simply enforce them.
THIS IS A BAD LAW !!! if it passes you will see why.
By the way while the cop is doing all this over a phone will you feel safe from the real criminals ? Have we got so many cops on the street we can now search out the hardened serial texter ?
Wonder how long it will take the police to get to you after you call for help and your beat officer is investigating a DREADED TEXTING INCIDENT.
Mama Says
May 28th, 2010
9:17 pm
I meant “reasonable suspicion” sorry
BlueDawg
May 28th, 2010
9:25 pm
Personal responsibility has nothing to do with driving, the same applies for personal freedom. Driving an automobile is not a right, it is a privledge, regulated by the government. Just like flying in an airplane. Texting while driving is even more dangerous than drinking while driving and a lot easier to prove. If you don’t want to worry about getting a ticket for texting/reading email/fiddling with GPS/watching movies on your iphone then you have the choice not to drive a motor vehicle. Because chances are you won’t be the person who pays for your mistake, it will be the car you t-boned in an intersection, the pedestrian you clipped or the stopped car you rear-ended.
Mama Says
May 28th, 2010
9:25 pm
sorry guys I said reasonable suspension. I meant “reasonable suspicion”
Mama Says
May 28th, 2010
9:29 pm
Odd that this was in the paper today of all days. I was going to work today and a girl stepped of the curb in front of me—I almost hit her–she never looked to see if I was coming. Why ? she was on a cell phone. Wouldn’t that be walking while distracted ?
Roger
May 28th, 2010
9:29 pm
My 16 year old daughter told me that she was passed by a Gwinnett Co Police Officer that was talking on his cell phone and working on his in car computer while he was driving. Makes it very hard to tell her that she shouldn’t be on her cell phone.
Mama Says
May 28th, 2010
9:44 pm
Roger,
that is yet another reason—-The law says cops can ignore certain laws when in the performance of their duties, you know like running red lights, speeding etc….
What do cops do with all the electronic equipment in their cars—used for the job ?
Modern policing involves computer dispatch now—meaning the cop gets a message on his in car computer and goes to the call. What about talking on the radios while they are driving ?
It’s just an ill conceived law all the way around
dan deacon
May 28th, 2010
9:55 pm
It’s ludicrous to believe that this law can be enforced. In fact, it could become a law that is abused by law enforcement. I agree with the Governor, how can an officer determine if you were dialing someone (a legal action) or texting someone (a violation of the new law)? They can’t, so it becomes so discretionary that it will only lace lawyers pockets to represent those that were not texting in court. Lawyers are one of the reasons this country has become so complex to navigate law in. One law contradicts another….requiring a lawyer that charges money to protect your “rights”….which should have never been violated to begin with. Remember, the legislature that wanted this law are mostly lawyers. They want laws that are controversial so they can rape people’s bank accounts.
I dislike people texting as much as anyone, but if you’re going to ban texting then just ban using a cell phone while driving period.
Uncle Tom
May 28th, 2010
10:31 pm
Have there been adults who have sent text messages while driving that have been killed? Or were all of these teenagers who got killed?
cs
May 28th, 2010
10:41 pm
Without the bill, Morgan says it is likely 240 Georgians will die every year in texting-related accidents.
anybody stupid enough to read or write a book or text while driving aint gonna quit just because of some new law.
Common Sense
May 28th, 2010
10:50 pm
Why do some people think that a law is the answer to everything? Murder is illegal, yet people still do it. Speeding is illegal, yet people still do it. Entering this country without permission is very illegal, yet people do it (and others aid and abet them by failing to enforce those laws). Theft is illegal, yet people do it every day. You can’t expect to pass a law prohibiting everything that is stupid; too many people have no respect for the rule of law in the first place to be bothered by a rule such as this.
hind tit
May 28th, 2010
10:57 pm
i can’t believe for the life of me how stupid people are when they say there is no way it can be proved that a person was texting while driving. not only can they tell you if you were texting but every word that was sent, what time and where you were at when it was sent are if you was moving or seting still when it was sent. this is not the 1600 hundreds. why don’t you just talk to the person instead of going to all that trouble anyway.
wgd
May 28th, 2010
11:16 pm
@Worried Driver — Sorry, but you are mistaken. The bill, as written, will make it illegal to even “read” an email or text message while driving. If I receive an email at 10:00 AM and decide to read it while driving at 4:00 PM then no phone records from Verizon, AT&T, etc,, will show me “receiving” that message while I was driving. Idiot. The bill is porly written. If, in the above example, you check cell phone records, it will show the email/text as being received at 10:00 AM -Doesn’t matter when I “read” it — Geez.
sb
May 29th, 2010
1:34 am
What about a law against reading the newspaper, book , messing with the radio, putting on makeup,combing your hair, dealing with kids in the back seat, all of which I witness reguarly. Are people stupid enough to think that texting is the only thing that distracts drivers, causes accidents, injuries or deaths. Why not just outlaw driving cars!!!!!!!!!!!
sb
May 29th, 2010
1:44 am
What it amounts to is wireless carriers and cell phone companys are makeing money by the barrel, and the city, county, and state governments want there share. So they pass a law so they can basically fine everyone who they even “suspect” of using a cell phone while they are driving. People on here say they can’t prove you were texting, but you can’t prove you wern’t. Who is the judge gonna believe.
RickinATL
May 29th, 2010
9:12 am
I was just in traffic court last week (after being struck by a distracted driver) and every single one of the defendants accused of driving without a fastened seatbelt pleaded guilty and was assigned a $15 fine. If the law is so hard to enforce, why did all of these people plead guilty? It seems to me that they would not have wanted to ask a judge to accept their version of events vs. a trained officer’s version….
Those of you who think this law is about controlling your behavior are wrong. It is about establishing a deterrent–any deterrent–against an epidemic of reckless behavior that is endangering the public safety. And that deterrent is so badly needed that our failure of will in Georgia to establish it only proves to the rest of the world what a bunch of backcountry hicks we still are.
AJinCobb
May 29th, 2010
12:02 pm
I’m all for banning all cellphone use (hands-free or not) by drivers of any age. Studies show it’s all dangerous (yes, the hands-free talking as well). No phone call or text message is more important than the risk to public safety from distracted driving. It’s not good enough to say people should have the personal freedom to drive distractedly, and if they cause an accident, then we’ll throw the book at them. Much good that does other people who have been killed or injured due to the distracted driver’s hubris. If it’s acceptable to ban drunk driving, it should be acceptable to ban the equally dangerous practice of cellphone use while driving.
BlueDawg
May 29th, 2010
12:34 pm
@Common Sense: Might want to use a little of that sometime. Just because people break the law, that doesn’t invalidate the need for it. Think of how many people would kill others if it wasn’t against the law, or how many people would speed if that wasn’t illegal either? The point is to greatly reduce the number of people doing it. Most rational people do not break the law because they do not want to pay the penalty for doing so.
UnEnforceable
May 30th, 2010
5:22 am
It seems like a great idea in theory, but unless the offender is killed in said incident & the cell phone shows text msg was begun but not completed, you will have very little ability to “prove” someone was texting.
Imagine I am involved in an accident at 3:05pm. I may not have been texting but I text someone immediately after indicating “I will be late” (not to worry them). They pull records bc other person in accident realizes that there could be more $ damages-wise. Who can determine the exact time of when accident occurred?
Additionally, text messages can be delayed by system capacity issues. What if they pull your records & you were not texting but system does not note actual time of text? (I can assure you cell phone providers will not go to the trouble os disclosing such details.)
I text when I drive. (OMG!) but it will be in bumper to bumper traffic or sitting at a light. People get so fixated on texting – but what about the man shaving/looking in mirror while driving, the person reading a Kindle while driving, the person fiddling with a Navigation/gps, the woman doing make-up or painting nails, dealing with screaming/fighting children in backseat, or even my mothers utter paranoia at riding in car with me (I would be a less distracted driver completely plastered & texting than driving with her in car)?
It would be an extremely rare scenario where me not wearing mt seatbelt would lead to directly endangering you. (Now if I didn’t have medical insurance, we could argue that you would have to end up covering cost like everyone else) Aren’t MOST automobile accidents the result of not paying attention?
There are many things that can distract us driving. Problem is – this legislation doesn’t acknowledge reality of technology. I am never a fan of goverment legislating our behavior in our own “best interest”-let’s remember how well the laws on sex toys and sodomy have been enforced… people need to be more accountable for their actions – rather than having the government attempt to deter/enforce actions?.
DoubleAction of Clayton County
May 31st, 2010
8:21 am
Fat too many people has already killed or injured by distractions while operating motor vehicles !!
http://claytonwatchdog.proboards.com/index.cgi
Al Lopez
May 31st, 2010
2:06 pm
Gov. Perdue needs to sign the texting bill. Texting while dricing is dangerous and people just don’t seem to understand. An email or text message will NEVER be worth taking someone’s life. Any responsible driver should shut down its phone, pull over, or consider a hands-free texting application like TextnDrive. There are so many alternatives on the market these days, drivers have no excuse to still type while driving.
Kat
June 2nd, 2010
1:28 am
Was the kid really “slain?” I don’t think so. No violence happened upon him. He happened upon himself.
s2k
June 21st, 2010
6:37 am
I think a lot of people are being shortsighted. It’s not about enforcement… entirely. This law needs to be passed FIRST in order to pave the way for cell phone companies, car manufacturers, and app developers to work in tandem and develop a way to prohibit the action. The car is in gear – texts get sent to voicemail – and with an app like Google Voice, this is not farfetched.
Soccer12
June 21st, 2010
11:42 am
I agree with everyone who said take some personal responsibility. Teach your kids not to text while driving and make sure you set a good example by not texting while driving. I also agree that there are a million and one distractions out there and there will only continue to be more distractions. We can’t pass a law every time a new gadget comes out because we don’t have enough self control to do the right thing and be safe. As others have also stated, if you suspect someone of texting while driving this would fall under reckless driving. All you have to do is pull a cell phone record and you can still hold that person accountable for their actions without another law being passed.