First it was drinking. Then it was cell phones. Now text-messaging is the latest behind-the-wheel activity lawmakers are trying to curb.
“All of my friends do it,” says Sonalie Patel, 17, who lives in Elk Grove Village, Ill., and admits that she too occasionally sends texts despite a ban on cell phone use for drivers under 19 and adults with learners permits. “It’s like an epidemic.”
Indeed, a Nationwide Insurance survey found that 18% of cell phone owners text and drive and that drivers between the ages of 16 and 30 are the most frequent texters. Young adults have even posted videos of themselves texting while driving on YouTube, and nearly 600 people have joined a Facebook group called “I Text Message People While Driving And I Haven’t Crashed Yet!”
Having seen people do this, I have to admit that it scares me to no end. Talking on a phone is one thing, but at least your eyes are on the road mostly. That is not the case with texting.
Texting, heck. A few weeks ago we were driving home from the theatre and I saw a man on the interstate doing 70mph editing a spreadsheet on his laptop, which was propped against the steering wheel. I was the passenger and he was next to us to the right, so I had a clear view. He was busily typing away. Terrifying.
To quote a family saying spoken many years ago. The subject of this blog can be “..An accident looking for a place to happen”!!!!!!
California now prohibits the use of cell phones while driving except for emergency use only, such as reporting accidents, vehicle breakdowns, fires, natural disasters, notifying the police, or for medical emergencies. The fine for the first offense is $20, and it doubles with each subsequent offense. Too bad it isn’t $200 for the first offense……maybe the message would get across if it were.