Editorial: Laws needed to prevent texting while driving

Drunk drivers weave all over the road. Their altered state does not allow them the proper reflexes to operate a vehicle properly and does not give them the best depth perception for sharing the road with other motorists.

Motorists who send text messages via cell phone weave all over the road. It’s hard to keep it between the lines when you’re sending “ily” to your sweetheart. How can you keep your eyes on your road and on your cell phone’s keys at the same time? It doesn’t work. Motorists who choose to send text messages can be dangerous and just as irresponsible as motorists who drink a six-pack before driving across town.

Driving under the influence is against the law.

Driving while sending text messages should be also.

“AAA Alabama is in the process of meeting with some state legislators to build support for the necessary legislation to ban texting while driving in Alabama,” said AAA Alabama public relations and marketing manager Clay Ingram.

Ingram also said that AAA will work to improve existing laws in other states against texting while driving.

“Younger drivers are much more likely to text while driving due to their inexperience as drivers and their proclivity to communicate with friends via texting messaging,” Ingram said.

As of now, 18 states have laws dealing with texting while driving. It’s time Alabama joins the club.

We’re not saying a person found driving while texting (would the offense be dubbed a DWT?), should suffer the same harsh penalties as drunk drivers, but some form of driving-related penalty should be made.

Much talk has been made of the subject in recent months, but nothing has been done about it. We feel it’s time we put these wheels in motion and have the Legislature act on this in the next sesssion.

Penalties could include points on the driving record, which increase insurance rates, and fines.

We understand that sending text messages are often necessary.

Obviously, people need to communicate more than they need to get drunk.

There’s no reason why a person can’t pull over to type a message, then let the recipient know they are about to drive again and not to expect a text-oriented conversation at 55 mph.

It’s not worth taking your eyes off of the road and causing a situation you may regret for the rest of your life.