You always hear, “Don’t text and drive!” There are ads on TV, on the radio, signs, and even pledges you can make, but how many of us actually listen? A survey done by AT&T showed that out of 1200 teen drivers, 97% think it is dangerous but 43% still admit to doing it. So why do we do it if we know it’s dangerous?
Ohio recently became the 39th state to ban texting while driving. For the first 6 months (until Feb. 30th) you will only be issued a warning and possibly a fine for breaking this new law. This new law is different for adults and teens. For adults, texting while driving is a secondary offence, meaning they cannot be pulled over for it, and the maximum penalty is $150. For teens, texting while driving is a primary offense, meaning you can get pulled over for it. The punishment for a teen’s first offence is a fine of $150 and a 60-day license suspension. If the teen breaks this law again, she or he will receive a $300 fine and 1-year license suspension. Another difference in the law between adults and teens is that adults are only banned from texting, while teens are completely banned from using cell phones, iPads, or any other electronic device while driving. Despite these new laws, there are some exceptions: all drivers are allowed to text or use cell phones in an emergency; electronic devices may be used if the car is stopped and not in a lane of traffic (parking lots, NOT stop lights); hands-free devices are allowed; and hand held devices may be used for navigation but drivers may not set them up while driving.
These new laws may be hard for us to follow, but they will keep us and everyone else on the road safe. So put your phone in your purse in the back seat, have a friend text for you, or just turn the phone off. Whatever you do, don’t take unnecessary risks — no text or call is worth a life.
Brianna Burck
McMoments 