|« Back to Article|
Take the pledge on texting and driving
Express-News Editorial Board : September 20, 2013
It's a common enough sight: cellphones to the heads of drivers. It's scary enough. Even scarier are those whose fingers or thumbs are busy tapping out messages while driving, or those reading such texts, one hand on the wheel but eyes not where they should be.
It's against the law in San Antonio, resulting in more than 2,100 citations since 2010, when the ordinance was passed. Because the officer actually has to see someone doing this before a citation can be issued, this is just the tip of that iceberg.
But, if there weren't a law, that iceberg would be even larger. This week, Mayor Julián Castro joined others in the Mayors Against Texting While Driving campaign. It seeks pledges from the rest of us.
In 2011, the National Transportation Safety Board recommended that folks not use any electronic device while driving. It found that 3,000 people lost their lives in the previous year because of distraction-related accidents. Can there be anything more distracting when driving than texting?
In April, the Texas House passed a bill, 98-47, banning texting while driving. With a threat of veto looming from Gov. Rick Perry, the Senate Transportation Committee chairman refused to allow a vote on the bill. And it died.
Fear of the dreaded nanny state drives the opposition. Our dread has to do with lives needlessly lost in the absence of a law — statewide.
But until that time, take the pledge. As if sending a text, type 464329 into your cellphone's “to” line and then type in icwsanantonio as a text.