Legislation – or “statutory law” is law which has been promulgated or “enacted” by a legislature or other governing body, or the process of making it. Another source of law is judge-made law or case law. Before an item of legislation becomes law, it may be known as a bill, and may be broadly referred to as “legislation” while it remains under consideration to distinguish it from other business. Legislation can have many purposes: to regulate, to authorize, to proscribe, to provide funds, to sanction, to grant, to declare or to restrict.
How will these “no texting” laws make our roads safer? The so-called “no texting” laws going around the US are only “feel good legislation” a big waste of time and money. This law is almost impossible if not completely impossible to enforce. It’s like speeding laws yes they do exist, and do help when they are enforced. But I still see people listed in my local paper with speeding tickets of over 100 mph and then the judge will reduce the charge in court to improper equipment or something minor.
Laws are broken every minute of every hour of every day. To say that because of these no texting and driving laws our roads will be safer is a harebrained joke. The country is going after this “feel good law” and passing it – but won’t enforce real laws that are already on the books that will take care of inattentive driving – or distracted driving. For a law to be effective it has to be enforced.
Vermont joins the bandwagon and makes the 27th state to sign this feel good legislation. “Everyone on Vermont’s roads will be safer because this ban was signed into law. Distracted driving is an extremely dangerous practice that kills thousands and injures hundreds of thousands every year. And texting while driving is especially risky,” told US Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood. Well, I’m sorry to tell you this, but thousands will still be killed and hundreds of thousands will still be injured with or without this feel good legislation.
Why doesn’t senate attack the cell phone providers? We have the technology I’m sure to incorporate a block on being able to send and receive text messages while a vehicle is in motion. Why doesn’t senate attack the providers and make them start doing this? This would in fact stop all texting and driving accidents. But, if that were to happen, then those looking for campaign contributions and votes would not get the big ones from all these providers. So instead of pissing off the big campaign contributors senate institutes feel good legislation.
What is really ridiculous about these no texting laws are they use “studies” that say texting and driving is like being drunk and driving, but the penalties are nowhere near the same. Most states that have signed on to this feel good legislation impose a mere $25.00 fine and I have seen it up to $100.00 in fines only. And if you have a CDL the punishment is almost the same as robbing a bank. If it is as bad as all these studies say it is, then why is there a “slap on the hand” fine?
DUI laws in Kentucky say for the first offense you can go to jail from 2 to 30 days, fines – from $200 to $500, license suspension – from 30 to 120 days, alcohol or drug treatment program – 90 days, and community labor – 48 hours to 30 days. But texting and driving is considered bad as driving under the influence? It only takes an avg of 2 beers to cause you to get a DUI and quadruple the punishment, but yet studies say they are very similar in effects.
Kentucky’s ban on texting and driving carries the fine for the first offense will be – $25.00 and subsequent offenses will cost $50 plus court costs – or a “slap on the hand.”
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That’s what I have been yelling about is they pass a law, but don’t enforce it. In fact I even see the police doing it. It’s just STUPID to pass the law and not enforce or promote it, a waste of my money!!!
Chuck is right. I see it all the time too from law enforcement. They glue the phones to their heads an drive down the road. Some even type on laptops while driving. I wonder why “legislation” doesn’t focus primarily on them as it does truckers? And who can forget the lovely Mrs. Shriver…happily talking on the phone while driving her luxury car. That’s OK because you know she was fined. Oh, wait, I forgot, she was only reprimanded by her husband and to set things right, SHE DONATED HER PHONE TO CHARITY!!!! If only it were that simple for the truck driver.
And the trucking companies are not without sin, either. I’ve seen many personnel from Heartland Express engaging in conversations around the city of Atlanta while reprimanding drivers when on the clock. SUCH HYPOCRISY!
ATTENTION TRUCKERS: If you get pulled over for texting…just mail your phone to Ray LaHood.
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