On the first day bills could be filed for the upcoming state legislature, former House speaker Rep. Tom Craddick, R-Midland, filed for a statewide a ban on texting (TWD) for all drivers.
Craddick spearheaded this critical bill in 2011 and it was approved by the legislature. However Governor Perry vetoed it. This was a huge mistake. Here’s why.
Representative Craddick hopes that the new representatives and Governor-Elect Abbott will understand why a crucial issue this is for Texas drivers. “The Texas Legislature has a responsibility to give our law enforcement officers the tools they need to make our roadways safer,” he said.
44 Other states have outlawed TWD
Texas is one of the only states that does not already ban texting while driving. How can there be any justification for such a deadly practice?
Distracted driving caused over 90,000 collisions in Texas in 2012, resulting in 453 fatalities and 18,468 serious injuries — up a shocking 4% over the year before. Texting and driving is six times more likely to cause a wreck than drinking and driving.
State officials prohibit TWD for drivers under 18, all drivers in or near school zones, or bus drivers. Further, 38 cities and towns ban TWD, including Arlington and Denton locally.
Texting while driving is a serious problem
People who do this are six times more likely to cause a wreck than those who are drinking and driving. And ever notice how many people are looking down at their phones next to you as you are driving? One question that I always ask my new clients is whether he or she suspects that the other driver was on their cell phone at the time of the crash so that I can subpoena their cell phone records.
Your legal options if you were injured due to a texting Or distracted driver
If you were the victim of a crash where the other driver was texting or using his or her phone, you could be entitled to compensation for your injuries, property damage, lost wages, and pain and suffering. You should hire an aggressive personal injury attorney to file a claim and/or a lawsuit against the distracted driver.
I have blogged about our serious problem with texting and driving on many occasions. Here are just a few of my previous posts: