The Dangers of Texting While Driving In St. Petersburg
Posted by Evan Bassett on Thu, Jan 26, 2012
Logic dictates that it should be a simple, hard-and-fast rule for everyone: no texting while driving. Yet with daily lives that seem to get busier by the moment, the temptation is there to reach for that phone and bang out a quick note while traffic is light.
Many people don't truly understand the consequences of texting while driving until it's too late. Reminding yourself, your family and your friends of what's at stake can make you think twice before you take your eyes off that seemingly quiet stretch of U.S. 19.
According to a study conducted by the Texas Transportation Institute, people who engage in texting while driving react twice as slowly as drivers who keep their focus on the road. The extra second could make all the difference with cars zipping by at 70 miles per hour on I-275.
It's no secret that car accidents can cause death or serious injury. You may also be held liable for anything that happens to your passengers or the people in the other vehicles. Texting while driving can contribute to reckless driving, and the legal and financial consequences can mount quickly.
Your car is one of your most valuable assets, so endangering it comes with significant risk. Accidents that stem from texting while driving can also cause your insurance rates to skyrocket and result in points on your driver's license, jeopardizing your ability to drive.
The majority of states have bans on texting while driving. Florida isn't one of them, but that may soon be changing. The state Senate Transportation Committee unanimously approved a bill in December 2011 that would institute a system of fines for anyone caught texting while driving. Automakers Ford and Chrysler have also lent their support to a federal measure that would outlaw the use of handheld phones and other mobile devices while driving.
Many from the Tampa Bay area are making grassroots efforts to address the problem, particularly among teens. Two St. Petersburg residents were profiled by The St. Petersburg Times after developing an app that blocks incoming and outgoing messages in moving vehicles and alerts parents whenever their teen overrides the block.
In Sarasota, a pair of friends founded a website that allows anyone to report the license plate number of someone texting while driving. Parents can register their children's plate numbers with the site, and if the plate is reported for texting while driving, the parents are informed.
For teens, the consequence of getting grounded by their parents is far more desirable than the real dangers of texting while driving. The real problem may be getting parents and other adults to model positive behavior. The hidden danger of texting while driving, particularly if you have children, is the example it sets for others.
Until technology evolves and the inclination to reach for that cell phone or smartphone is removed, texting while driving will remain an issue. Laws and other efforts can make it more difficult for drivers to multitask, but they can't prevent them from doing so. The ultimate responsibility for preventing distracted driving lies with everyone who gets behind the wheel, including you.
