Criminal Acts

While some may find it acceptable to flirt with that fine line between life and death, others may be less likely to commit a felony. That’s right, texting while driving is a straight up felony in up to thirty states already. This means, that in these thirty states, if a police officer sees a driver texting they are able to pull them over and issue them a citation. People may not be concerned with thoughts of what will happen when they die, but the majority of people do not want to have a stained record, or pay the high price for receiving a ticket.

Although, Texas is not included on the thirty states with a texting while driving ban, there are people in Austin lobbying for a law making texting while driving illegal. One of these groups is SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions). They have teamed up with Liberty Mutual and AAA to fight the Texas government in the case of public safety. While Texas is still working to pass laws to keep their citizens safe, other states have already set up rules and punishments for the current texting while driving epidemic. According to one website, “the fines for texting while driving range anywhere from $20 all the way up to approximately $750. Utah can claim the prize for strictest texting while driving laws with violators receiving fines up to $720 and up to fifteen years in prison. That is the same punishment for people who drive drunk” (Gillingwater). Though some may think this is too hefty of a price to pay, think about all the innocent victims each year that are killed by somebody texting while driving. According to another website, “cell phone use accounts for 2,600 vehicle fatalities each year” (Don’t Drive…). Whether the ultimate punishment may vary person to person, we all must face the simple question of, is it worth it to you?

 

Works Cited

Info and Picture:

Gillingwater, Candice. “Laws Against Texting While Driving Result in Fines or Even Prison.”

Suite 101.com (2010): Web. October 12, 2010 < http://www.suite101.com/content/laws-against-texting-while-driving-result-in-fines-or-even-prison-a236807#ixzz12BGiyg27 >.

Info:

“Texting While Driving Statistics/Information.” Don’t Drive and Text.org (2009-2010): Web.

October 12, 2010 <http://www.dontdriveandtext.org/Statistics>.