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You can still text and drive in Margate…for now
• Margate police look at banning dangerous behavior
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Tuesday,
December 1, 2009
Although undeniably a hindrance to safe driving, cities such as Margate and Parkland are helpless in enacting ‘texting while driving’ laws until state lawmakers take affirmative action. A bill prohibiting texting while driving was submitted to the Florida Legislature this year, but was postponed indefinitely, states a memo from Margate Police Chief, Jerry Blough.
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A recent study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute revealed that 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes involve some form of driver distraction occurring within three seconds before the vehicle crash. Tests conducted by Car and Driver Magazine indicate that texting while driving can be as dangerous as driving with a blood alcohol level over the legal limit.
The number one cause of crashes in the Virginia Tech study was cell phone use.
A YouTube Public Service Announcement circulating in the UK depicts accurately the dangers of texting while driving. The more than four minute video, which shows a group of teenage girls getting into a head-on collision while the driver of the car text messages, has caused some strong reactions due to its graphic nature, with some people asking if it goes too far.
“The PSA, produced by the Gwent Police Department in Wales, shows the girls heads snapping back and forth violently as glass shatters and blood pours forth. While it is no doubt hard to watch at points, it certainly gets the point across,” reports Britain’s The Huffington Post..
The City of Parkland recently enacted a ban on texting while driving in their city, but can only issue warnings until the state supports a ban.
“The Attorney General’s Opinion is that our ordinance could not supersede the state. Texting is allowed until the state does something,” said Margate Commissioner, Pam Donovan in reference to Margate enacting a texting ban of its own.
Five bills banning texting while driving have been submitted for Florida's 2010 Legislative session, so the issue is gaining momentum at the local level, states Blough's memo.
Click here for shocking YouTube video of car crash caused by texting.
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