No texting in school zones
The City Commission voted today unanimously to ban drivers from texting in school zones.
The Commission adopted the ban of texting in school zones on first reading today. If adopted on second reading, it is believed Miami would be the first city in Florida to prohibit drivers from texting in school zones.
A study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute has concluded that people who send text messages while driving are 23 times more likely to be in a crash.
In crashes or near crashes, texting takes a driver’s focus away from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, which is enough time to travel the length of a football field at 55 miles an hour.
The Commission adopted the ban of texting in school zones on first reading today. If adopted on second reading, it is believed Miami would be the first city in Florida to prohibit drivers from texting in school zones.
A study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute has concluded that people who send text messages while driving are 23 times more likely to be in a crash.
In crashes or near crashes, texting takes a driver’s focus away from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, which is enough time to travel the length of a football field at 55 miles an hour.
posted by Tom Falco at 5:00 PM
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13 Comments:
It's a nice sounding headline,and something that the politicians can tout as a statement of how much they care about safety and schoolchildren, but it is completely unenforceable in a court of law. Impossible to have that evidence.
You can put it on the books, but enforcement is a near impossibility.
Speed limit isn't 55 in school zones, it's 15. So, it would be closer to 22 yards by my math, which is still plenty dangerous.
Anon 5:26 No contest here, however, I'm personally familiar with 2 cases of phone records being subpoenaed. If a child were seriously injured or killed, don't you think phone records would be valid evidence, if say for example a witiness came forward who saw the phone to the ear or the person texting? Just today, at Target a lady with phone to ear hit a car and two people came running up to the two of us asking if we got the plate number and they too, had phone to ears.
Today waiting at Coconut Grove Elementary at pick up time a driver turned down the one way going the wrong way with An Officer behind the driver and the Officer did not even pull the driver over. What's the point of the above and this no texting in school zones we have no enforcement so what does it matter what they pass?
I have texted many times while driving, and I am no longer doing it...it is idiotic. Read the recent Car and Driver test they did on it, it is WORSE than drunk driving from a response time...I am thankful I have not gotten into an accident but I have seen the light--Totally enforceable, just pick up the phone when pulled over, easiest thing ever to prove. SHOULD BE ILLEGAL EVERYWHERE, ALL THE TIME, IF THE VEHICLE IS MOVING--PERIOD.
By now people have had to have seen the PSA created by the Gwent Police
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8I54mlK0kVw
Why only school zones. Why not a full ban full stop?
Given all the hysteria about cell phone use I thought it prudent to go with a prepaid account that is not registered under my name. If I'm ever in an accident I can easily deny using a phone, there's no record to prove me wrong!
Texting while driving is legal?
i sure hope i never "run into" anyone dumb enough to do that. It is bad enough people talk on the phone.
What's next, watching TV while driving?
Another reason not to drive in this city... Sheesh!
One small step for Miami-kind. In some states it is illegal to talk or handle a phone while driving unless a hands free system is being used. Now that is what the Florida state legislators should implement.
That law should apply on the dais where some commissioners get text messages on issues that are before them!
How did we ever live without cellphones?
Oh yeah, just fine.
Ban them in cars for the driver while underway altogether, and enforce the law. I see the value of being able to call for help if stranded or in an accident, but not while driving.
Somewhere along the way people have forgotten their responsibility to be a safe, undistracted, defensive driver.
Somewhere along the way, law enforcement forgot that protecting and serving actually means to keep us safe.
Back to basics!
The real problem is nose-picking in school zones. There oughta be a law!
Really, isn't the problem lack of attention to driving, for whatever reason? Whether it's texting or talking or nose-picking, in or out of a school zone?
Instead of passing a bunch of cockamamie laws addressing each little activity that draws a driver's attention away from driving, just enforce the one that says YOU MUST PAY ATTENTION while driving. Everywhere, all the time.
Does anyone remember the boodleknob it was outlawed because you could drive with one hand and feel up your date with the other. If that is still on the books apply it to texting. Is that done with one hand or two?
I have a question - and for the record, I posted the first comment on this thread - how could the police prove that you were texting while driving in a school zone, without seizing your phone and going through all your messages, personal notes, emails and generally, all of your very private information?
Is that what we want? Would this law withstand a (state) constitutional challenge, because of the severe invasion of privacy necessary to prove the charge? I'd love to argue that one in Tally.
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