Words Can Wait!

My colleague, Justin Navarrete, posted an article “Ban Texting While Driving in Texas?” on December 1, 2014 that caught my attention. Mr. Navarrete states that texting while driving is a big contributor to car crashes and that it increases a person’s chances of a crash anywhere from 8 to 23 times. He also states that in 2011Texas Legislatures approved a texting ban, but unfortunately Governor Rick Perry vetoed the bill. I have been aware that texting and driving is dangerous and is becoming a major concern, but I was not aware that Governor Perry was against passing this much needed ordinance. I strongly agree with my colleague that texting while driving is a dangerous issue and that Texas’ Government should pass an ordinance banning texting while operating a moving vehicle.

Texting while driving is a big concern because drivers of all ages have done it at one point or another. There are various studies out there with stats on the percentage of people who text and drive, but the real problem is with people who actually think they are actually good at it or believe that they have mastered this skill. They don’t stop to think that they could possibly cause an accident that could put their life and other people’s lives in jeopardy. Texting and driving falls under a category of safety risks called distracted driving; acts or actions that keep drivers from safely operating a vehicle. Texting while driving is particularly dangerous because it involves a combination of three different types of distractions while driving: visual, manual, and cognitive. This proves that it not only impacts what we see, but also how we respond and the time needed to process what's happening before we can respond! I strongly agree with my colleague that Greg Abbott should put on his agenda to sign the texting ban into law when he officially becomes Governor of Texas. Safety is more important than a few words!