Texting while Driving Laws in Texas

Learn about Texas state laws regarding texting behind the wheel.
Texting while driving has become one type of negligent driving that has gained prominence in the news media due to the devastating effects it can have in terms of traffic accidents, injuries, and deaths. Texting while driving is a growing phenomenon with more and more people engaging in this behavior, especially teenagers and young adults. Unfortunately, this trend creates a serious safety issue for everyone due to the fact that the average texter takes his or her eyes off the road and attention off driving for the length of a football field. This behavior has been compared to driving blindfolded and experts who have studied it have concluded it is as dangerous as or more so than driving whi

le drunk.

A 2013 ban on texting while driving that would affect all drivers in Texas did not make it past a Senate committee this year. This leaves the state without such an overriding law. Current Texas laws regarding texting while driving includes bans on all cell phone usage and texting for bus drivers and novice drivers only. Texting is also banned in school zones. As a result of the Texas legislature failing to pass a ban on texting for all drivers, some cities have passed their own local ordinances which do so. Corpus Christi and Grand Prairie are two Texas cities which have adopted texting bans. In Corpus Christi, the new law will impose fines of up to $500 and a traffic school requirement. In Grand Prairie, fines for violating their texting ban will be as high as $200.

No one should suffer the consequences of a distracted driver who causes a traffic accident yet this has become more and more common on the roads and highways in Texas as well as across the nation. The Texas Department of Transportation (DOT) has shown that in 2012 distracted driving was associated with more than 90,000 car accidents in the state. This is far too many and puts an enormous number of other drivers and passengers at risk while on the road.

If you or someone you love has been harmed due to the negligence of a distracted driver in or around Houston, you should discuss your case with an experienced personal injury lawyer.