BAN ON TEXTING WHILE DRIVING NEARLY STATE LAW IN ILLINOIS
The Illinois Senate approved a ban on text messaging while driving 45-6 on Tuesday. Approval came only after lawmakers ironed out concerns regarding whether drivers could text while pulled over to the side of the road. The legislation was modified to allow drivers to text while pulled over or if their vehicle is stopped due to traffic, an accident or a train crossing. Due to these modifications, the bill will now head back to the Illinois House for another vote.
Should the bill become law, police officers will have authority to pull over violators and fine them anywhere from $75 to $500.
Seven states currently ban texting while driving. Despite these laws and an increase in accidents caused by inattentive drivers who were texting, a recent study reports that 1 in 4 Americans continue to text while driving. Nevertheless, a whopping 83% of 5,000 respondents said they thought texting while driving should be illegal. The report also found that some of the worst driving-while-texting offenders live in states where the practice is already banned or where legislation is pending.
Texting has become such a common practice in our everyday lives. It is a simple and efficient way to communicate, but we must heed the cautionary tales and stop texting while driving. Even brief inattentiveness to the road can have catastrophic results. Remember that the next time you reach for your phone while driving.
