BAN ON TEXTING WHILE DRIVING IN ILLINOIS NEARING REALITY
Illinois is one step closer to prohibiting text messaging while driving. The Illinois House approved the measure yesterday with a 92-25 vote. The measure now moves on to Governor Pat Quinn for final approval and enactment.
The law will prohibit drivers from texting while driving, but makes exceptions for drivers pulled over to the side of the road or drivers stopped in traffic. Some legislators, concerned that law enforcement officers would have another reason to pull over drivers of a particular race, voted against the measure. Despite these concerns, the bill passed the House with overwhelming support. The support is well-earned. Texting while driving is one of the most dangerous behaviors in which a driver can engage.
As I have previously mentioned, studies suggest that texting while driving is more dangerous than driving drunk. The attention given to the phone keypad is attention that should be paid to the road. A split-second distraction can have catastrophic consequences. People are dying because of the inattentiveness of drivers who are busy reading or writing a text instead of focusing on their surroundings. While I can acknowledge the concerns cited by the legislators opposed to this law, I think the benefits of outlawing texting while driving far outweigh any potential police abuse. I think this ban is long overdue and hope Governor Quinn wastes no time enacting this bill into law.
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