US states are slowly adopting new regulations that make it illegal to send text messages while driving. Study after study has shown that texting from behind the wheel is dangerously distracting. Sometimes, it’s distracting enough to cause a major car accident. Sometimes, people die. Apparently, back in May, Utah passed legislation that makes texting while driving punishable by hefty fines and even prison time. If you’re caught in Utah with your thumbs tapping away at your mobile phone, you can be jailed for up to three months. If you cause an accident that results in injury or death, expect to be staring down a 15 year prison sentence and a $10,000 fine.
There are all sorts of issues when dealing with texting drivers. You have to be able to prove that the driver was sending a text message that led to an accident. You have to prove that the driver knew all the risks associated with texting and driving. You also have to respect search-and-seizure policies. As the NYT points out, police can simply get cellphone records to prove that the driver was texting prior to an accident. The Utah law assumes that all people are aware of the dangers of texting. And, police don’t necessarily need to confiscate a cellphone to determine if a driver was using their handset – they have those records, after all.
The idea is to raise the stakes high enough to keep people from taking risks. The danger is real, and Utah isn’t having any of it. We wonder how far those senators are willing to take their nationwide texting-while-driving ban?
[Via: NYT]