Texting and driving is dangerous

From Vernal.com:

“I learned that I can’t really text while driving,” said Uintah High school student Staci Zapata. “I can’t lie, I think that I have texted once while driving. I usually have my sister text for me. But I will never do it again.”

Such were the comments from high school students who were able to test their texting skills while driving a golf cart through a marked, coned off corridor outside the high school.

Under the direction of Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Kason Goodrich, students were instructed to text a message into their phone while driving the course set up with stop signs, turns and corners.

“I hit 22 cones and ran two stop signs and a yield sign,” stated Kalab Ford. “I learned that you don’t text and drive. Someone can get hurt.”

Johnathan Vega stated that you shouldn’t text and drive as it is definitely a hazard.

Shae Galley earned the title of hitting the most cones – 33 – during her run at texting and driving the course. “This is something that is super super dangerous,” said Galley. “This is something that effects everyone. I believe that I am going to quit as of now.”

Trooper Goodrich explained that as part of the zero fatality program in Utah, texting and driving awareness is one of the training modules that is being taken to high schools throughout the state.

“Last week’s death in Jensen as well as another on in the Basin during the past year were caused by someone texting,” explained Goodrich. “Texting and driving is more dangerous than driving DUI and we need to get this message out, especially to the young people, even though more and more older people are now texting while driving.”

“We have students hitting as many as 33 cones here and these students are good texters!,” said Goodrich. “Texting while driving is just plain dangerous.”

After a crash that killed two scientists in Logan, plus many others involving distracted driving, Utah passed the nation’s toughest law to crack down on texting behind the wheel. Offenders now face up to 15 years in prison.

The new law took effect in May and penalizes a texting driver who causes a fatality as harshly as a drunken driver who kills someone. The law basically states that a crash caused by a multitasking motorist is no longer considered an “accident.” Instead, such a crash would now be considered inherently reckless driving.

“It’s a willful act,” said Lyle Hillyard, a Republican state senator and a big supporter of the new measure. “If you choose to drink and drive or if you choose to text and drive, you’re assuming the same risk.”

Goodrich stated that studies show that talking on a cellphone while driving is as risky as driving with a .08 blood alcohol level — generally the standard for drunken driving — and that the risk of driving while texting is at least twice that dangerous. Research also shows that many people are aware that the behavior is risky, but they assume others are the problem.

Now, in Utah, the law now assumes people understand the risks.

The law “is very noteworthy,” said Anne Teigen, a policy specialist with the National Conference of State Legislatures, an organization of state legislators. “They have raised the bar and said texting while driving is not just irresponsible, and it’s not just a bad idea — it is negligent.”

Ray LaHood, the transportation secretary, has said drivers should not text behind the wheel, and several United States senators recently introduced legislation to force states to ban texting while driving.