New Laws Could Emphasize Penalties for Texting-Related Accidents

02/03/2010

While one state after the other has been passing bans against texting while driving or taking steps to do so, one discouraging trend has been the perception that such laws are doing little to actually solve the problem of distracted driving.

This may especially be the case with texting, since it is far easier for law enforcement to spot somebody talking on a cell phone while they are driving. Another problem is that many drivers, particularly the youngest ones, have generally flouted such laws even as they acknowledge the dangers of texting behind the wheel.

With that in mind, one trend to watch for in the near future could be states that place more of an emphasis on punishing drivers who cause accidents while texting.

For example, Utah has had a law on the books for more than a year now which treats defendants who cause a fatal crash while texting the same as a person who caused an accident while driving drunk.

Another such example comes from Massachusetts, which has its own legislation against texting behind the wheel currently pending before state lawmakers. A Boston Globe report noted that violations of that law carry various fines depending on one's number of offenses. However, if a person causes an accident while texting, they would be treated as reckless drivers under the law and could be jailed for up to two years.

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