Personal Injury Law

No Texting While Driving Picking Up Momentum

For my regular readers, you know how long I have been writing about the need to make texting while driving (TWD) illegal in the State of Georgia. I am glad to report the rest of America seems to be catching on. First, Oprah introduced her "No Phone Zone" pledge. This is a pledge that you can print out and sign which says you swear not to text while you are driving. Tens of thousands of people have taken the pledge. If you have a teenage driver I urge you to visit this No Phone Zone page with your teen to watch numerous videos on the dangers of driving while texting. It is extremely informative and scary.

Now even automobile insurance companies are jumping on the bandwagon and urging their insureds and the motoring public in general not to text while driving. Progressive Insurance is supporting Oprah in her no texting pledge. I noticed Melbourne Insurance out of Florida is emphasizing not to text while driving.

One neat potential solution is a smartphone app called Drive Safely that apparently will read your text voices outloud to you while you are driving. Unfortunately, although it will convert a text to voice, it does not yet convert voice to text, so it will not eliminate the oh-so-uncontrollable urge to respond ASAP to that text you just got! That will take some self-discipline!

The State of Florida appears to be poised to pass legislation banning TWD and Florida Governor Crist is supporting it. Likewise for the State of Massachusetts. And now NHTSA, the National Highway and Traffice Safety Administration is even urging states to pass a ban on TWD. Where is Georgia Governor Perdue on this issue? Shockingly silent. Where is the leadership the State of Georgia needs NOW on this issue? What about the Georgia General Assembly? Yes, bills have been filed, but have they made any progress in the intricate procedure of getting legislation in Georgia passed? Not yet and we begin the second half of the General Assembly session on March 8. I urge Georgia lawmakers to make texting while driving illegal, for the sake of all Georgia citizens. It will save the lives of thousands of Georgians.

Full post as published by Atlanta Injury Lawyer Blog on February 28, 2010 (boomark / email).