 "Photo: Sara Young/The Daily Texan")
For many college students, texting has become as natural as talking or eating. Upon hearing the familiar chimes of an incoming text, it is almost instinctive to respond immediately.
But a possible citywide ordinance will force texters to curb those instincts while on the road. If passed, the City Council resolution, sponsored by Mayor Lee Leffingwell, Mayor Pro Tem Mike Martinez and Councilman Chris Riley, means motorists cannot write, read and send text messages or use the Internet on a portable device while driving.
According to a recent Virginia Tech study, drivers are 23 times more likely to get into an accident while texting. Out of every six seconds, drivers in the test only looked at the road for 1.4 seconds on average. A study by Car and Driver magazine found that texting while driving creates a greater level of impairment than driving with a .08 blood alcohol concentration.
“I created the Public Safety Task Force three years ago, and we discussed this through the task force,” Martinez said. “At the time, there really wasn’t definitive data, but over the last couple of years, more data has been gathered. Finally, we felt it was enough to show that this was a very unsafe practice. After nothing was enacted by the Legislature other than a ban on school zones, we got back on the issue of an all-out ban on texting while driving.”
Plan II freshman Kalyn Miller has seen the dangers of texting and driving firsthand and said the law seems like an obvious move for the city.
“My friend and I were going shopping. She was texting while she was pulling out and didn’t see the car speeding down the road,” Miller said. “Her whole front end was smashed. Her car took a month to repair, and her parents took away her license for six months.”
Under the new law, the penalty for texting while driving will be a class C misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to $500.
The possibility of a law that will force drivers not to text frustrates some students.
“If it’s something I have to do, I’m going do it,” said freshman Katelin McCullough. “I think it would be ridiculous to have a consequence. I don’t do it often, and I try not to in high-traffic situations, only like when I’m at a stoplight.”
Several students, even those who admit to texting while driving, are enthusiastic about the law. Some said they hope it will sway the temptation.
“I’ve noticed that I’m much more distracted if I text and drive,” said Dana Hicks, a graduate student in counselor education. “It’s dangerous. I think the law is a great idea because then I won’t feel guilty for not texting people back.”
Because texting is not a visible offense like speeding or running a red light, it may be difficult for police to enforce. But City Council and police said they hope a law will make people more conscious of both the safety and legal consequences of texting and driving.
“It’s going to be difficult to try to enforce the anti-texting laws. It depends on how the ordinance is written,” said APD Cpl. Scott Perry. “We are hoping drivers will pay more attention to driving their cars instead of looking at their cell phones while driving. With any laws that are passed, we hope that they will increase driver safety as well as safety of pedestrians on the side of the road.”
Seventeen states and Washington D.C. have laws banning texting while driving either in place or set to take effect within the next six months. Plano, a suburb of Dallas, has made it illegal for drivers under 18 to operate cell phones while driving. Starting Sept. 1, Texas will issue a statewide ban on using cell phones in school zones.
The Senate is considering a nationwide effort against texting while driving. If they move forward with legislation, states that do not implement bans on texting while driving within a certain time frame would lose 25 percent of highway funding.
“It’s a good idea because it’s a problem everywhere,” Miller said. “I hope there would be fewer accidents and people would feel safer. I don’t feel safe when I see someone talking on a phone or texting in their car.”
The proposal is under review by council members today. If it is approved by City Council, the city manager would have a few months to prepare the official ordinance for passage into a law. It is targeted to take effect before the end of the year.
“Especially as we go back to school, this seemed like a timely opportunity to raise the issue to see if we can get an agreement,” Riley said. “We hope it will improve safety on our roadways. Austin is the most congested mid-size city in the country. This is moving in the direction of improving roadway and personal safety.”
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