The city of Phoenix approved a ban on text-messaging while driving last year. However, no other city in the Grand Canyon state has followed in Phoenix's footsteps.
ABC News reports that Arizona lawmakers are now pushing for a statewide ban on texting while driving. A bill was recently sent to the full Senate after a legal review and Tucson Republican Sen. Al Melvin has taken to sponsoring the measure. If approved, the law would prohibit writing, reading or sending text messages and e-mails while driving on a state highway. However the law will not prohibit talking on the phone while driving, which is another issue of controversy across the nation.
Violators of the law would be subjected to a $50 fine, and in the case of an accident the fine can be raised to $200. But are these low fines harsh enough? And will these fines stop drivers from texting on the roadways?
ABC News reports that drivers in the U.S put texting behind the wheel just right behind the dangers of drunk driving, according to AAA. The AAA company also reports that texting drivers are 23 times more likely than non-texters to get into a crash or narrowly avoid a crash. It may not be long at all before Arizona DUI attorneys take on texting while driving cases.
There are currently 19 U.S states, in addition to Washington D.C, that have laws prohibiting texting behind the wheel. ABC News reports that some groups predict a nationwide ban by the year 2013.
Related Resources:
- Texting While Driving Laws on The Rise (FindLaw's Law and Daily Life Blog)
- Cell Phones While Driving (LawBrain)
- Arizona DUI attorney directory (FindLaw)
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