In late summer 2008, Governor Tim Pawlenty signed into Minnesota law a bill making it illegal to text while driving. The official statute states that “no person may operate a motor vehicle while using a wireless communications device to compose, read, or send an electronic message, when the vehicle is in motion or a part of traffic.”
This law exists to save lives on the road. According to studies compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the use of a wireless device is the number one cause of inattention while driving. In fact, if you operate a cell phone while driving you are four times as likely to injure yourself in a serious car accident.
Texting while driving is quickly becoming a risk that rivals drinking and driving. Many institutions are now researching the harmful effects of texting and driving, as compared to driving under the influence of alcohol. The University of Utah found that the use of a cell phone while driving delays a driver’s reaction time just as much as, if not more than, having a BAC at the legal limit of 0.08. This is because when using a wireless device, a driver shifts focus from one task (driving) to another (texting), as opposed to talking on the phone wherein the driver simply divides his or her attention between the two tasks. This shift in concentration leads to dangerous, sometimes deadly, results.
Statistics have shown that 80% of accidents are caused by distracted drivers, while drunk drivers account for only 30%. According to Cheri Marti, Minnesota Department of Public Safety Director, driver distraction causes 70 deaths and 350 serious injuries each year in Minnesota.
The penalty for texting while driving in Minnesota is a fine of up to $300 for the primary offense.
The problem with this new law, however, is how to enforce it. How can a police officer prove that a driver was texting prior to being pulled over? We will tackle this question and more in next week’s installment of “Texting While Driving.”
Related Sources:
www.revisor.mn.gov
www.nationwide.com
www.unews.utah.edu
www.kare11.com
