HARRISBURG PA — Motorists in Pennsylvania were sent a clear message Monday (Nov. 1, 2011) by the state General Assembly: Stop texting while driving, or get a ticket and a $50 fine, The Pennsylvania Independent online news service said.
The state Senate passed Bill 314 that bans texting while driving. The final vote in the Senate was 45-5, following a vote Monday of 186-7 in the House. Kelli Roberts, deputy director of communications for Gov. Tom Corbett, said the governor “supports it and will sign it” into law.
Under the bill, texting while driving would be a primary offense, like speeding. That means a violator can be stopped by law enforcement solely for committing the offense. Those convicted of texting while driving would face a fine of $50.
Proponents of the measure say the ban will save lives. Opponents say the ban won’t help solve the problem of distracted driving.
- Read story by reporter Caleb Taylor, titled “Texting while driving ban passes House, Senate” and published Monday by The Independent, here.
- Watch a video documentary (above) produced by cell phone service provider AT&T that warns against texting and driving, or see it at the YouTube user account of ShareATT.
We’ve all seen it… There’s enough distractions in a car already. This is a good move and may help, especially with young drivers. A lot of young people text constantly. We’ve seen evidence after the fact where people involved in fatal and injuring accidents are later found to have been texting and thereby were distracted from their primary function as the driver of an automobile responsible for it and the passengers within. Like the captain of a ship or airplane, your duty behind the wheel is to exercise command and good judgment at all times while on the road. If you feel that you must do this pull over and stop safely, and then use the gadget.