Texas Governor Rick Perry has decided to veto House Bill 242, or more importantly, the addendum regarding the ban on texting while driving for all drivers in Texas. The original bill, authored by Tom Craddick, would have allowed retired law officers to carry firearms.

Perry says: "I support measures that make our roads safer for everyone, but House Bill 242 is a government effort to micromanage the behavior of adults."

While that shows confidence in the ability of adult drivers to make the right choices all the time, what this means is that drivers who are older than 18 may be able to use their cell phones while driving, as long as they do not commit any other road violation.

Currently in Texas, texting behind the wheel is already prohibited for teen drivers. Ideally, as these teen drivers grow older, they carry over the lesson of lessening driving distractions. Hopefully, drivers don’t see this as a free-pass for being distracted at the wheel.

While this is a huge letdown for driving safety advocates everywhere, it can only mean that they have to find other methods for making the message stick, without having to resort to the law. Information campaigns in real life and all over the internet are finding increasingly-clever ways to deliver the message, and hopefully it sticks.

What to do now? Educate yourself. Arm yourself with proper knowledge regarding texting while driving, or being distracted behind the wheel in general. You can tell your children, your family, your friends, your co-workers and your community. Find advocacies or groups in your area. If there is none --- why not start one?

Labels: distracted driving, texting and driving, texting ban

Approved late last Sunday, lawmakers in Austin approved the ban on texting-while-driving. It just needs Governor Rick Perry's signature before it can become Texas law.

We have been following this almost-law closely for a while now, and to see that it just needs that one little more push before it can finally become Texas law makes supporters hope for the best. Since its inception, the statewide texting-while-driving ban has been met with both support and opposition.

If the ban becomes law, beginning September 1, offenders may expect to pay a fine of up to $200 when caught operating their phone at the wheel. Lawmakers hope that a fine is a small price to pay for potentially saving lives. If people could do that one thing, which is give focus on their driving by avoiding cell phones, it could mean saving lives.

In 2009, 408 Texans died from distracted driving.

Sometimes, singling out teens to be the primary offenders of texting-while-driving ignores the fact that even adults with driving experience can be guilty of this crime too. Or people who believe they could multi-task, not seeing for themselves how those seconds focused on a phone affects how they operate a vehicle.

There's speculation that the governor will not sign it, stating that it could be a local ordinance instead, and here's a chance for you to be heard: you may be able to call, fax and send letters to his office. He has 20 days - Phone: 512-463-2000 ask for legislative affairs / Fax: 512-463-1849. Mail letters to Office of the Governor, PO Box 12428, Austin, TX 78711. If you support this bill, tell your friends to do the same.

Labels: texas driver safety, texas driving laws, texting and driving, texting ban

In Del Rio, last Tuesday, a meeting of the city council was held with one big topic being considered: a texting ban in the city.

Del Rio Police Department Chief Arnaldo Ramos spearheaded the topic, giving both local and national statistics which link traffic accidents and texting. Ramos even cited other cities in Texas which have outright banned texting while driving: Austin, El Paso, Galveston and the most recent one to get a texting-while-driving ban, San Antonio.

He insisted that the scope of the proposed ban be inclusive of all cell phone use while driving, not just texting. Councilman Fred Contreras suggested that all city staff set the example, by not partaking in the practice.

Mayor Roberto “Bobby” Fernandez closed the session by suggesting to the city staff that they begin researching on cell phone policies or other ordinances and enforcement by looking at samples from other Texas communities.

Labels: texting and driving, texting ban