United States Laws Regarding Texting While Driving
Texting while driving is something that the majority of younger folk do, as studies report. It’s also something that is incredibly dangerous and foolish- leading to many reported deaths each year as a result of automobile accidents.
Textin and driving has become such a serious matter that states such as Washington have banned the act. Most of the states, however, are simply regulating who can text and drive. It is found that those mature enough have a lesser chance of inflicting an auto accident on others as a result of poor judgment while texting and driving a vehicle.
Missouri is an example of a state that has allowed those over the age of 21 to partake in texting while driving. It’s uncertain to see what type of impact this has as compared to states that have banned the act altogether, as most legislation is somewhat new. If you are caught texting while driving, or it is shown you have stated you were doing so, you can be fined for $200 under the Missouri regulation and laws.
There are studies that are coming out all the time in regards to texting and driving. Some scientists have even shown that it is quite related to the acted of driving under the influence, which as we know carries a large fine and jail sentence for those convicted. Because it is so serious, parents in the United States should observe good parenting practices by teaching their kids not to use their mobile phone while operating a car.
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
There are many documented cases of accidents reporting texting and driving as the cause. Don’t be like those who made poor choices- limit the amount of time you text while driving or abolish it altogether. It isn’t worth sending a text message at the cost of your own life.
Learn more about Text messaging while driving and the accident risk and Missouri legal settlements.