North Carolina latest state to ban texting while driving
You’ve probably noticed lately that a lot of states have been banning text messaging while driving. Well, you can add another one to the list. North Carolina is the next state to ban texting while driving for all drivers.
The law went into effect December 1, 2009. In order to get a ticket, your car must be in motion while you are texting. For North Carolina the fatal crash rate for 16- to 19-year-olds has trended slightly upward.
So what exactly does that mean? It means that North Carolina teenagers are getting into more deadly car crashes. It also means that this new legislation will help save more lives.
The reason for the law is really a no-brainer – driver distractions are dangerous and can be deadly. We all know that. What you may not know is that a recent study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found that people who text while driving are 23 times more likely to get into a car crash. Not twice as likely, or even three times more likely – 23! That’s HUGE!
Texting while driving has been a very hot topic this year. From the National Sleep Foundation calling to ban all drivers from using cell phones, to legislators proposing a National anti-texting law, there’s no doubt texting while driving could be considered a trending topic on Twitter.
For more information on texting while driving and other driver distractions visit our page on major dangers for teen drivers.
Courtney here(: I think phone use should be banned everwhere, not just school zones! In school zones there are students of all ages walking around and getting to where they need to be. Of course, banning the use of phones in a school zone is nothing but necessary. But consider this: in a neighborhood you have young ones playing, adolescents bike riding, and adults exercising daily. There is still a bunch of people-traffic which makes talking on the phone and texting while driving in a neighborhood or a busy part of town, really no different than a school zone. I think, unless you are riding shot-gun or riding in the back, you should keep your phone in your pocket or in your purse!