In Phoenix Arizona, lawmakers are making it a point to ban texting for teenage drivers in order to decrease distracted driving incidents. Arizona State Senator John McComish, has sponsored a new bill that will ban cell phone use in the car for the first six months of a teen who has just obtained their driving license. Senator McComish, thinks it’s wise to ban teens from having a cell phone within their automobiles for the first six months of receiving their driver license, so the temptation of using their phone will not be there. He believes that they need to learn how to concentrate on just driving instead of talking or texting on their phones while they are driving.
AAA has conducted a nationwide study on distracted driving which has shown that 64 percent of teens answer their phones while driving, 52 percent make phone calls, and 44 percent read their text messages while operating a motor vehicle increasing their chances of getting into a car accident.
Driving schools have conducted simulators which show how dangerous texting while driving is. Teens believe that they are invincible. They think that they can drive while simultaneously doing other things such as speaking on their phones and texting. This test conducted by the driving schools, showed that most students crashed within minutes of a cell phone being in their hand.
Maria Rich Wojtczak of Scottsdale driving school, Driving MBA, states that a vehicle should not be someone’s entertainment center or office. She believes that the driving simulators can make a difference by showing teenagers how dangerous it can be when one is using their cell phone all while driving. She also believes that law makers can make a difference and citizens can make the road safer by using their common sense.
On Wednesday January 18th, McComish’s bill will be heard by the Senate Public Safety Committee. AAA has stated that if Arizona passes the bill banning cell phones by new drivers, it will join thirty other states and the District of Columbia who have all already done so.
As a bakersfield car accident attorney, I fully support this bill. I have come across way to many motor vehicle accidents that were the result of someone using their phone while driving. Also as a campbell personal injury attorney, I highly advise never using your cellphone while driving.