Driver lobbyists are looking to ban text messaging while driving
in all 50 states.
Colorado has a ban on texting, passed last session, but adults
can still dial and drive and use a handset.
State Rep. Frank McNulty, R-Highlands Ranch, supported the
bill.
“I think it makes sense, but no amount of legislation is going
to take the place of responsible driving,” McNulty said. “In my
opinion, groups interested in improving safety on our roads should
be focused on educating young drivers. That is where we can make
the most difference.”
Effective Dec. 1, all drivers will be banned from texting while
driving.
Additionally, drivers under age 18 will be banned from all use
of cell phones, including text messaging.
AAA will lobby the remaining states to create driving and text
messaging laws.
Currently, 18 states and the District of Columbia have laws that
address text messaging by all drivers. Two states have laws that
prohibit teens or other new drivers from texting while driving.
Research in southern California, where a texting ban went into
effect in January, shows that driver behavior is quickly changed
with such laws.
Prior to the California texting while driving ban, researchers
observed 1.4 percent of drivers at any point in time in Orange
County, Calif. were texting while driving.
Following the law taking effect, just 0.4 percent of drivers
were observed texting — a decline of about 70 percent overall.
This indicates that banning texting while driving can
potentially change driving behavior of motorists, reduce dangerous
distracted driving, and improve safety.
The popularity of texting has grown quickly over the past four
years. According to the wireless industry trade association, CTIA,
the number of monthly texting messages reached 110 billion at the
end of 2008, a more than 11-fold increase in three years.
California implemented a hands-free mobile phone law in
2008.
A similar ban in the Colorado bill did not make it to the
governor’s desk
