ATRAIN
02-02-2010, 11:14 AM
Austin texting-while-driving moves ahead
City Council approves concept, but writing, enacting ordinance could takes months.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/2009/08/28/0828texting.html
By Sarah Coppola
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Friday, August 28, 2009
The Austin City Council unanimously agreed Thursday to establish a ban on text messaging while driving and to require a three-foot driving distance between vehicles and other road users, such as bicyclists and pedestrians.
The rules won't take effect right away. First, city staffers will write an ordinance that the council must approve, a process that could take a few months.
Each violation would be a Class C misdemeanor, which carries a fine of up to $500 and can be appealed in Municipal Court.
A few council members and speakers expressed concerns at Thursday's council meeting that the policies would be tough for police to enforce. They also stressed that the texting ban must be coupled with a strong public education campaign to be effective.
"We see time and again that laws like this are not the best way to change people's behavior," said Debbie Russell of the Central Texas chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas. "If we're not dedicating any money for public education along with this, it will fail."
Council Member Mike Martinez, the lead proponent of the texting ban, said he would look carefully at those issues before the ordinance comes back to the council for a vote.
There might be some challenges with enforcement, he acknowledged. But he said the ban is worth enacting because studies have shown overwhelmingly that texting behind the wheel is dangerous and must be curtailed.
"You're 20 times more likely to get into an accident texting while you're driving," Martinez said. "While it may seem like common sense not to text while driving, it doesn't seem to resonate."
Council Member Bill Spelman asked whether the ban would apply to police officers, who have computers in their patrol cars.
Police Chief Art Acevedo said that the ban would most likely exempt officers but that he encourages officers to use the computers only while stopped at red lights.
The ban would prohibit writing, sending and reading text messages, instant messages and e-mails, as well as viewing the Internet on a cell phone or other portable electronic device while driving a vehicle or bicycling.
City officials said the texting ban might be the first such citywide ban in Texas. Currently, 17 states and the District of Columbia prohibit texting while driving.
[email protected];
City Council approves concept, but writing, enacting ordinance could takes months.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/2009/08/28/0828texting.html
By Sarah Coppola
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Friday, August 28, 2009
The Austin City Council unanimously agreed Thursday to establish a ban on text messaging while driving and to require a three-foot driving distance between vehicles and other road users, such as bicyclists and pedestrians.
The rules won't take effect right away. First, city staffers will write an ordinance that the council must approve, a process that could take a few months.
Each violation would be a Class C misdemeanor, which carries a fine of up to $500 and can be appealed in Municipal Court.
A few council members and speakers expressed concerns at Thursday's council meeting that the policies would be tough for police to enforce. They also stressed that the texting ban must be coupled with a strong public education campaign to be effective.
"We see time and again that laws like this are not the best way to change people's behavior," said Debbie Russell of the Central Texas chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas. "If we're not dedicating any money for public education along with this, it will fail."
Council Member Mike Martinez, the lead proponent of the texting ban, said he would look carefully at those issues before the ordinance comes back to the council for a vote.
There might be some challenges with enforcement, he acknowledged. But he said the ban is worth enacting because studies have shown overwhelmingly that texting behind the wheel is dangerous and must be curtailed.
"You're 20 times more likely to get into an accident texting while you're driving," Martinez said. "While it may seem like common sense not to text while driving, it doesn't seem to resonate."
Council Member Bill Spelman asked whether the ban would apply to police officers, who have computers in their patrol cars.
Police Chief Art Acevedo said that the ban would most likely exempt officers but that he encourages officers to use the computers only while stopped at red lights.
The ban would prohibit writing, sending and reading text messages, instant messages and e-mails, as well as viewing the Internet on a cell phone or other portable electronic device while driving a vehicle or bicycling.
City officials said the texting ban might be the first such citywide ban in Texas. Currently, 17 states and the District of Columbia prohibit texting while driving.
[email protected];