Bills Would Outlaw Cell Phone Driving In Texas

If you've read this blog for very long then you probably know I am against cell phone driving and have written several posts calling for it to be outlawed across the nation.   Anyone who has driven for any length of time will have many stories of people driving dangerously while talking or texting on their cell phone.   And the National Transportation Safety Administration has produced evidence that cell phone drivers are as dangerous to the general public as drunk drivers.

There is little argument over this.   Almost everyone knows that cell phone driving is very dangerous -- for everyone else, that is.   The crazy thing about this is that while people know it is dangerous, nearly everyone thinks they are the exception to the rule -- while other people pose a risk to others, far too many people think they are able to drive while talking or texting on a cell phone without posing any risk to others.   It's like drunk drivers -- I never heard one say they were too drunk to drive (although they will admit that drinking and driving is dangerous).

That is why I believe that new laws are necessary to ban cell phone driving.   These people, like drunk drivers, will not stop this dangerous activity until they are forced to do so by the police.   Fortunately, it looks like at least some legislators are paying attention to this problem.   State Representative Jose Menendez (D-San Antonio) says,   "I am trying again because this has gotten out of hand and it has become a road safety hazard.   People talking or texting while driving are causing accidents, or, putting themselves and others at risk of serious injury or even death."

Rep. Menendez has introduced a bill (HB 37) for consideration when the new legislative session begins next month.   State Senator Carlos Uresti (D-San Antonio) has introduced a companion bill in the state senate (SB 119).   Uresti says,   "Studies have found that texting can impair a driver as much as being drunk, so an outright ban just makes common sense."

Menendez has introduced his bill in the last three Texas legislative sessions, and the bills all died without ever getting out of committee.   He believes the bill will have a better chance in the coming session because there has been a lot of recent negative publicity about cell phone driving and a larger percentage of the population now sees this as a dangerous activity.   A recent Texas Transportation Institute survey showed that 52% of Texans would support a law banning cell phone use while driving.

The question now is whether cell phone companies will lobby against the bills.   Menendez believes he can convince them this is not an anti-cell phone issue, but a safety issue.   And he might have a point.   Some cell phone companies, like AT&T, already have programs discouraging use of their cell phones while driving.

I still have serious doubts about whether the Republican-dominated legislature will pass such a law, but I hope I'm wrong.   A law banning cell phone driving could save a lot of lives and injuries.