Important News from Your Texas Accident Lawyer

Texas Lawmakers Close to Adopting New Texting While Driving Legislation

Posted on May 06, 2011

Everyone knows texting while driving is dangerous, causing many Texas distracted driving accidents each year that injure or kill innocent drivers. Yet, Texas legislators have been slow to respond to this growing problem.

Approximately 2,500 people are killed or seriously injured each year as a result of texting while driving, many of them teens or young drivers. When texting while behind the wheel, the average driver is 20 times more likely to be involved in an accident.

Last year, a new state law made it illegal to text and drive while in a school zone. Now this week, the Texas House passed a bill by a 124-16 margin that will make it illegal to write or send a text message or email while driving.

The law, which does not prohibit reading emails or text messages, will now face a procedural vote and Senate review before taking effect. The fines for writing or sending a text would range from $1-$200.

While we applaud state lawmakers for taking action on this important issue, hopefully cutting down on the rapidly-increasing number of innocent people we see injured in wrecks with negligent drivers, we also can't help but think they could be doing more.

By banning only the writing and sending of text messages, not the reading of them, the law leaves many loopholes for inattentive drivers. Also, such low fines may not be a big enough deterrent for those inclined to text while driving.

We hope there is more to come soon.