Texting while driving (TWD) in Illinois will cause an offender to receive a stupid traffic ticket and pay a measly $75 fine. Big deal. Texting while driving is as dangerous as drinking and driving, according to a study done by the University of Utah in 2006. The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society has reported cell phone distraction causes 2,600 deaths and 330,000 injuries in the United States every year.
A $75 punishment does not fit the crime. DUI offenders lose their privileges to drive, are forced to take classes and pay hefty fines. Why? There are human lives are at stake. So why would a crime as serious and as deadly as texting while driving result in an insignificant punishment? The new law is bogus.
There is enough awareness on the dangers of TWD, which is why I believe that a strict law, similar to DUI, needs to be in place immediately. I would like see our candidates for governor in Illinois address this article before the primary election on February 2, 2010.
I am ashamed to admit that I have engaged in this reckless conduct many times prior to it being outlawed in Illinois. After the recent Oprah show on this very topic, I have decided to point out to the public that this new law as it stands is nothing but a small bandage for a huge problem – it is not an effective remedy. Some people will abide the law to prevent a $75 fine. A large number will not care one bit. If DUIs resulted in measly $75 fines thousands of drinkers would not think twice about driving.
When a police officer observes an offender texting while driving, the driver should be slapped with an automatic reckless driving citation, which is a Class A Misdemeanor in Illinois. If the driver fails to admit to committing the infraction, the driver should be cited with a ‘suspicion of texting while driving’ citation, requiring the driver to furnish the original phone bill for the phone in question within 60-days of the incident. The bill could clear the offender because the time and date of text messages could be requested to appear on the bill. If the phone bill clears the driver of wrongdoing, the case should be dismissed. If not, the driver should be charged with reckless driving and ordered to pay substantial fines of a level similar to DUI offenders. In addition, a mandatory suspension of the offender’s driver’s license should be imposed in some cases.
8 Comments
I hate the culture of social technology that has emerged in the United States. I think it’s the beginning of the end. Good article, José.
I would suggest making TWD penalty similar to a speeding violation in a construction zone. Screwing around with a cell phone whether texting or looking for phone while driving is extremely dangerous as I have cracked up a car that way.
Dear Rover,
Good idea – less complicated than my suggestion. However, repeat offenders should face more serious charges, like DUI offenders.
The real problem is you cannot legislate common sense. TWD is only as dangerous as DUI when driver is texting unlike DUI where entire time the drunk is on road it is a danger. Best I came up with was the speeding in construction analogy. I have also read that driving while tired or sleep deprivation is more dangerous than drunk driving. We both know you can’t write legislation for being tired but we can inform people as you have with TWD how dangerous tired driving can be. Something else to consider newer tech in cars will allow drivers to text by voice command via infotainment system in dash which while not as dangerous as physically texting this type of distracted driving will be a new risk. Other new tech will be internet/email access making autos a traveling office. My point no legislation will be able to address all of these issues only informing the public so that they can make competent decisions to minimize distractions while driving.
By the time the time TWD legislation would be written , approved, and passed, texting likely be an obsolete technology.
Rover, very good points.
Although I admit I am guilty of this while driving myself. In my daily ride downtown Ive seen men shaving, woman applying make-up and several other distracting things. Anything but driving while behind the wheel of what sometimes could be called a two thousand pound weapon is dangerous.
I would also like to add, in Dupage county traffic courts even if you are found innocent and your case is dismissed you still owe and must pay “court costs” which I would think is illegal, after all I was found not guilty and my case was dismissed. I have no law backround and my attorney advised me to pay (him and the court) One would almost be forced to plea guilty and pay fine through the mail. If not, win or lose you pay by showing up to court to defend yourself. I dont believe the police should be enforcing such frivolous laws when they could be doing better things. I am not saying twd is ok or safe, but why not a helmet law or running with a pair of scissors? You might say doing some dangerous things are only harmful to yourself and not a danger to anyone else. Why the seatbelt law then or any other law to protect us from us? I admit I dont have a solution to this problem. Maybe if the phone or auto company executives figure out how to make a fortune by solving this problem we might all be a little safer