Long-Term Impact Of Distracted Driving Law
On July 1 the law which has been in the works for some time will officially go into action.
The state of Georgia will begin banning the use of hand-held cell phones while drivers are behind the wheel. It doesn’t matter if you have both hands on the wheel if you have a phone to your ear then you will likely be issued a ticket at some point. This certainly will be the case for those caught by law enforcement texting while driving or even in one’s vehicle.
Many have cheered this new law believing it will automatically make drivers and passengers safer. Others have viewed it as another government over-reach which will not save lives but will pad the revenue stream for municipalities.
There can be little denying the fact that some drivers are distracted when they get behind the wheel. However, it should be pointed out that a cell phone is only one of those ways.
It’s just as easy to be distracted, as some have pointed out, by the car radio or a conversation taking place with a passenger (or passengers) in the vehicle or applying makeup or eating a cheeseburger during lunch.
For family members who have lost loved ones in accidents in which another driver was texting or talking on the phone, it’s easy to understand why they would want this law.
It remains to be seen, however, just how many lives will be saved. It’s similar to our state making it mandatory (by penalty of money taken by force from your wallet) to wear our seat belts. Certainly one should wear a seat beltwhile driving or while a passenger. (Disclaimer, I am never in a moving vehicle without my seat belt attached.)
However, many point to studies which show that the law itself has not really caused fewer people to be injured. It all goes back to generating revenue, many contend.
This new cell phone-texting law is going to generate a flood of citations, especially at first. Remember you will not be allowed to text even while stopped at a traffic light. Even that will be reason for law enforcement to issue a ticket.
State Rep. John Carson of Marietta sponsored the new law. He (naturally) says the new law is not about giving local municipalities the ability to generate revenue.
“You cannot dispute the increase in traffic fatalities,” he said in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I’m all about freedom and liberty. But one person’s liberty ends when it risks my safety.”
Still others are not convinced.
“I got my first cell phone in 1998,” said Georgia liberty activist Marshall McCart.” I’ve never had any problems with it; never had a wreck. The data clearly shows that this will not lower the number of wrecks or fatalities. It will, however, reduce civil liberties while increasing government revenues. That’s about it. It’ll be good for the ‘ju$tice’ business. But what about my business? But…we just had to do something, didn’t we? Just another law, just a little bit more government is gonna fix up all of our problems. This is going to be an absolute cluster….”
There is no grace period written into the law. Law enforcement will have the power to issue tickets beginning July 1 although some have said they will have a grace window for a few weeks and issue warnings and distribute pamphlets about the new law.
Like many things in today’s world, this really comes down to giving up freedom for what legislators and law enforcement consider safety. Time will have to determine just how much safer we end up and if it’s worth it in comparison to more personal freedom being taken away.
Stay tuned.