Sending the message

As of Friday, Sept. 1, texting while driving is now illegal. If caught, drivers can be fined $25-99 for first time offenders, and repeat offenders can be fined $100-200. Note: drivers can still use a phone (in most cities) for Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation, listening to music, dialing phone numbers, etc., but they may be pulled over if a police officer suspects them of texting.

“Texting can be dangerous if you are driving,” said sophomore Chesley Elder. “Most of the time it can wait.”

House Bill 62 states that if a car accident caused by a texting while driving incident results in death or serious injury, then that will be charged as a Class A misdemeanour, punishable by a $4,000 fine and/or a year in jail.

“I think it’s a good thing,” said Freshman Trinity Gibson. “Too many people are distracted by their phones while driving.”

The bill prohibits using phones to communicate while driving in a school zone, and all drivers under 18 are banned from using their cell phones for any reason while driving.

This new law came after a deadly 2016 that had over 100,000 traffic wrecks caused by distracted driving. In the past three years, over 5,000 people have died due to distracted drivers, most of which were texting. JR Law Firm states that texting while driving makes a car wreck 23 times more likely to occur.

“I think [the new law] should’ve come sooner,” said sophomore Logan Settle. “It could’ve saved a lot of lives.”

Governor Greg Abbott has strongly supported restrictions and harsher punishments on distracted or “influenced” driving.