It seems that all the teens these days are doing a dangerous act- and for some states, it isn’t illegal! Texting and driving is a new act to address as mobile phones become more popular. Studies show that with proper legislation, driver safety will surge.
Current laws in the United States vary based on each state. There is no current federal law that outlaws texting while driving, but the majority of all states are either limiting the act or banishing it completely. At least half of the current states such as Washington have put groundwork down in making it a crime to text while driving.
Some states have shown sympathy for those who text while driving. Missouri is an example of a state that has done so, as it only bans those under the age of 21 from texting and driving. Those over this age can do as they wish at their own discretion. This hasn’t gone over well with some that have been directly affected by texting and driving, but it is a step in the right direction to keep the Missouri roads safe.
Some studies show that text messaging while driving have increased the chance of an auto accident by over 400%. This can be compared to driving while under the influence, which has also become taboo in the United States. Smart parents are starting to teach their kids that if they valued their own safety, and those of others, that they would refrain from texting while driving- even if it’s only to send two words or less.
Mobile phone companies are starting to make advances in newer technologies that make the act of texting a thing of the past. Voice recognition software is one of the solutions that isn’t quite perfected. While voice recognition can get a high accuracy rate, it is never perfect. Different dialects can also be hard to track. In addition, background noise could interfere with how the software picks up different words of speech.
The only real solution to texting while driving seems to be to actually call the person you intend on contacting. After all, mobile phones do primarily function as a means of speaking to another person. Whenever possible, those who currently text while drive should make the phone call instead. If that isn’t possible, then talking to the recipient at a later date is a much greater idea that potentially putting yourself at risk for an auto accident.
In Conclusion
In the end, United States citizens should just practice common sense when talking and texting. Driving while doing anything other than paying attention to the road is going to be dangerous. Limit dangerous acts so that you won’t have a wrecked car and a disaster to deal with.
Learn more about Missouri truck accident settlements and wrongful death lawyers.