Alabama motorists will be thinking twice before picking up their cell phone in their vehicle since the texting while driving ban goes into effect statewide today.
Gov. Robert Bentley officially signed House Bill 2 into law on May 8, which prohibits using a wireless device to send, write or read a text message, instant message or e-mail message while driving a motor vehicle.
The bill stipulated the law would become effective on Aug. 1.
“There is nothing so urgent that it is worth risking your life, or the lives of others, by sending a text message while you are driving down the road,” Bentley said after signing the bill into law.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, texting while driving creates a crash risk that is 23 times greater than when a driver is not distracted.
Figures also show that sending or receiving a text message takes a driver’s eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, which may not sound like a long time, but for a driver going 55 mph, that’s the equivalent of driving the entire length of a football field.
In his 21 years in law enforcement, Russellville Police Chief Chris Hargett has seen firsthand the effects of what can happen when a distracted driver is behind the wheel.
“It is important for drivers to understand that anything you do while driving that takes your focus off the road is hazardous not only to you but to other drivers on the road,” Hargett said. “People are in such a hurry these days to get where they are going that a distracted driver might not see someone make a quick lane change or come quickly to a stop.”
Hargett said those in a younger age bracket are most likely to be affected by this law when it goes into effect.
“Technology is second nature to kids,” he said. “Texting is a main form of communication for them, so it will be hard to get them to understand that you just don’t need to be doing it while you’re driving.”
Those who choose to violate the texting ban will be faced with a $25 fine for a first-time offense, $50 for a second offense and $75 for a third or subsequent offense.
Hargett said this may not seem like much of a punishment, but the law also says that each time someone is caught texting while driving, a two-point violation would be placed on the offender’s driving record, which could really add up.
“Once a person reaches a certain number of points on their driving record, their license is suspended for a certain number of days,” Hargett said. “A $25 fine might not seem too bad, but having to park your car for a month or two would be.”
According to the Department of Public Safety’s website, a person who incurs 12 to 14 points in a two to four year period will have their license suspended for 60 days; 15 to 17 points in the same time frame garners a 90-day suspension, 18 to 20 is a 120-day suspension and 24 and over is a full year’s suspension.
“Once the law goes into effect, we’ll be enforcing it just like any other law,” Hargett said. “We’ll do our best to look for the signs of someone who is texting or distracted, like weaving from side to side or driving erratically, and we’ll make sure they receive the proper citation for the offense.”