Cellphones can allow us to communicate with one another at almost any time. But we should avoid the distraction created by talking or texting while behind the wheel. The danger of distracted drivers causing car accidents on our roads is a very serious problem. While some parts of the state have created ordinances to address the issue, there are still no statewide laws against texting while driving.
Recently in Austin, House Bill 80, which called for a ban on texting while driving in Texas, failed to get approval in the state Senate. State Rep. Tom Craddick expressed disappointment in the Senate’s inability to pass the bill. Rep. Craddick said that in a recent poll, 89 percent of the people surveyed in Texas favored a texting while driving ban.
HB 80 has been rejected three consecutive times in the Senate, in spite of reportedly having the support of the Texas Municipal League, the auto insurance industry as well as cellphone companies.
However, the good news is that the issue can be addressed on a more localized level. At present, about 40 towns and cities in Texas already have anti-distracted driving ordinances. San Antonio, El Paso, Amarillo and Austin can boast having the strongest laws in the state. But a statewide ban would have been a further step in the right direction and perhaps one day it will happen.
But even if a statewide ban is never enacted, texting and driving will always be an act of negligence. If you are ever in an auto accident caused by a driver whom you believe was texting while driving, a Texas motor vehicle accident attorney may be able to help you demonstrate liability.
Source: Amarillo Globe-News, “State senate kills texting while driving bill,” Enrique Rangel, May 31, 2015