Texting Whiling Driving Ban Is Passed In House
The Texas Legislature has passed a bill that would make it a crime to send text or email messages from a cellphone while driving. Already man states and local municipalities have laws that forbid a driver from texting while driving.
The proponents of the bill argue that the main problem is that people will have no hands on the wheel while they are driving or they are distracted while they are driving. According to some studies, texting while driving is the equivalent of having a 1.6 BAC. There is already a law against using a cellphone in a school zone and a driver under the age of 18 cannot use a cell phone at all while driving. This bill would make a person who commits the offense subject to a $200 fine.
There will be more bills affecting criminal law as the Texas Legislature continues for the next several weeks. Stay tuned for more information regarding any pertinent changes in the law.