If there’s one thing that we can all agree on, it’s that cellphones and technology are ingrained in our society. As such, it was only natural that we started to get the bright idea to use our technology and check our cellphones while we doing something that is very dangerous when done without total focus: driving our cars.
Distracted driving has become a much more troublesome behavior in recent years, and states are doing what they can to get laws on the books that address this serious concern. When we are driving a motor vehicle, our focus should be on the road in front of us — not a Facebook status update or a funny tweet.
In the state of Texas, a few distracted driving laws are in place to hold such negligent drivers responsible. There is a ban on all cell phone use for school bus drivers. There is a ban on all cell phone use for novice drivers (anyone under the age of 18). And there will soon be a ban on texting while driving for all drivers (it takes effect on July 1, 2017). All of these laws are primary laws, meaning a police officer can pull you over for these offenses alone. A secondary law would require an offender to commit a primary offense first before an officer could actually address the secondary one.
If you are driving a car, please don’t use your cellphone. You put yourself at risk if you do so, as well as many other innocent people out on the road.
Source: Governors Highway Safety Association, “Distracted Driving,” Accessed June 23, 2017