In May, Wisconsin became the 25th state to ban the act of text messaging while driving any motor vehicle.
In May, Wisconsin became the 25th state to ban the act of text messaging while driving any motor vehicle.
Starting in December, Wisconsin drivers caught sending or composing a text message or e-mail on their mobile devices while driving will face a fine ranging from $20 to $400. Wisconsin drivers also face similar fines for other types of inattentive driving.
The federal Department of Transportation also prohibits texting while driving trucks, buses or any other commercial vehicle. These drivers face a $2,750 fine if caught sending text messages from behind the wheel.
Support for Bans
The American Automobile Association supports such bans. The group's national surveys show that bans on texting and driving are very popular.
Studies show that drivers are 8x more likely to cause a crash while texting while driving, while drivers are 4x more likely to cause a crash while driving drunk. Similarly, the typical sober, alert driver traveling 35 mph can stop four feet before a drunk driver, and 25 feet before a driver sending a text message.
The U.S. Department of Transportation reports that 6,000 people were killed and about 500,000 were injured in accidents involving distracted.
Cell-phone distractions on the road are a global problem. The World Health Organization reports that traffic accidents will become the fifth leading cause of death globally by 2030, outstripping AIDS, cancer and diabetes. Many of these traffic deaths will likely be caused by cell-phone distractions.
Wisconsin's new law is aimed at keeping all drivers on the road safe by reducing the number of traffic accidents. If you have been injured by a driver who was text messaging while driving or engaged in any other inattentive behavior, speak with an experienced personal injury attorney right away.
