The United States recently saw increased support for a ban on texting while driving.

In July, four U.S. senators pushed a bill to ban texting and e-mailing while driving and cause states not approving text ban laws within two years to lose up to 25 percent of federal highway funds.

Eighteen states and the District of Columbia approved anti-texting legislation, while others are considering it. Six states, including New York, banned cell phone use while driving altogether.

A survey by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute released in July showed drivers who are texting while driving are 23 times more at risk of a crash or near-crash event than non-distracted drivers.

“Texting is certainly far different. It involves someone taking one hand off the wheel and their eyes off the road,” said Anne Readett, communications manager of the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning.

The push for such a ban reached Michigan two years ago, without any results. But it is back in the spotlight.

In 2007 and again last March, State Sen. Buzz Thomas, D-Detroit, introduced Bill 402, a proposition to ban texting while driving.

“There is no need to be sending a text while driving your car — it’s one of the most dangerous things a driver can do,” Thomas said in a prepared statement. “If it’s really that important, pull over and send your message or just wait until you get to where you are going.”

The bill, which would making texting while driving a misdemeanor offense with a $100 fine, has not received any attention the past few months, but Thomas said this is the second session in which he introduced the bill. He said he hopes the Michigan legislature will realize the urgency and approve the bill.

Dennis Denno, Thomas’ chief of staff, said nothing significant has changed in the bill since 2007.
“We definitely get a lot of e-mails of support,” he said. “Nobody’s opposed to it.”

Enforcement

One of the main reservations about a ban is the difficulty in enforcing it.

“It would be up to the state legislators to make the law and decisions on whether it would be a civil infraction or misdemeanor, what the fines, costs, points on license and possible jail time,” said Mount Pleasant Police Department Information Officer Dave Sabuda. “We as a department would adapt our response to their decisions.”

Statistics in Michigan for cell phone use during crashes are still low. In 2007, there were 872 drivers involved in accidents while using a cell phone out of more than 324,000 accidents total, Readett said.

“One of the most frequently reported accidents in the city of Mount Pleasant is a rear-end type accident. When someone is texting, they are not looking at the cars in front of them,” Sabuda said.

Student support

While texting is popular among the younger generation, students support a ban on texting while driving.

“I’d say it’s a good thing,” said Muskegon sophomore Kilee Boyd. “Most people who are texting are going from class to home and they can wait a little longer.”

Anthony Scott-Buyck, a Detroit junior, said the issue comes back to the safety of the drivers.

“When you are driving, one is to drive for the other drivers as well,” he said. “However, if one is texting, that means that they are most likely going to miss something or someone.”

-Senior Reporter Hilary Farrell contributed to this report

E-mail the author: Todd Betzold