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The fact Utah now has a law that bans text messaging while driving won't summarily stop the practice by all motorists any more than speed limit laws prevent all speeding. Some people, it seems, are convinced many laws are meant to be broken, often with impunity.
Just as with other traffic laws, however, law abiding citizens can hope the recently enacted Utah texting law will reduce dangerous conditions on our highways.
If there is any doubt the law is needed, check out the new DVD produced by the Utah Department of Public Safety featuring Reggie Shaw. He's the young man who's distracted driving caused by his texting resulted in the deaths of two Cache Valley men in 2006. Shaw pleaded guilty to negligible homicide, and is speaking out against texting and driving as part of his plea agreement with prosecutors.
The compelling video humanizes what research is saying: driving while texting is worse than driving drunk. A texting driver is 23 times more likely to have an accident or near-collision.
Since the law went into effect July 1st, violating motorists are being ticketed and in cases where accidents occur, texting drivers are being prosecuted. KSL welcomes the strong message being sent. Texting and driving is wrong, it can be fatal, and it is against the law.
