The Missouri bill's sponsor, Sen. Ryan McKenna, D-Crystal City, said he had seen many people come close to crashing because they were texting while driving.
"I think it's an epidemic in this country," he said.
The provision originally didn't make it out of the House, but it got tacked on to a larger crime bill.
McKenna said he was upset that the bill only applies to those 21 and younger. His original bill, which passed 32-2 in the Senate, applied to drivers of all ages.
McKenna pointed to news reports from events such as a recent trolley crash in Boston. "These people were over 21 years of age," he said.
McKenna said he'll try again next year to expand the law to include all ages.
Restrictions on talking on cell phones, texting, and other similar distractions while driving have been proven to lead to many of the injuries and fatalities on U.S. roads and highways.
This is ridiculous to set this for under 21 only.
No age makes you free from being stupid enough to drive and text at the
same time. Wake-up legislatures and quit trying to pick and choose who is
or is not capable. Apply to all.
Brent wrote:
07/09/09 11:01pm •
68.93.2.45
"This is ridiculous to set this for under 21
only."
I think this is just one of those times when a compromise
of some sort was needed to get the bill through.
Once it is in
place and everyone sees that it works well, doesn't cause any terrible
problems, and people support it, then they'll remove the age
restriction.
It's just a case of getting the nose of the camel in
first and then the whole camel will follow soon afterwards (or we hope it
will, anyway!).
Not that you shouldn't say what you did--in fact
I'd suggest emailing your comments to Sen. McKenna, who sponsored the bill.
Link below.
This law is so stupid! Are they going to ban
eating, applying make up, reading, talking, or navigating while driving
too??
Melodee wrote:
08/13/09 11:22pm •
70.250.40.2211251236785.1121
I TOTALLY agree that this is a stupid new Law!! I
really hope the law is passed soon where NO ONE can text and drive!!!
Because no matter your age or skill level you can't text and pay attention
to everything involved in driving at the same time!!
Mark wrote:
08/26/09 05:34pm •
97.88.184.88
I think those are all GREAT ideas Chris!!!
Anonymous wrote:
08/27/09 11:17am •
205.158.76.102
Too bad I will continue to text and drive...
Thank the dear Lord for 5% tints
"Chris wrote: 07/17/09 08:02am •
168.166.80.229
This law is so stupid! Are they going to ban
eating, applying makeup, reading, talking, or navigating while driving
too??"
The total control has to start somewhere subtle and
small... Very similar to what they are doing with firearms. Right to bear
arms well the average citizen can’t legally own a fully automatic weapon,
last I check it is classified as an arm and not a weapon of mass
destruction.
Anonymous wrote:
09/04/09 02:11pm •
216.215.236.250
I can admit I have trouble texting and driving
and I try to stay away from doing it unless it's important.
But I
have noticed that the younger generation is really good at texting while
doing other things... I noticed a younger kid skateboarding down the street
while texting on his phone... I can barely text and drive and I'm
twenty-one. The things kids can do these days
Ian wrote:
09/15/09 01:16pm •
161.130.232.103
The law is wonderful, but the age restriction is
not only completely stupid, its backwards!!
If anything, the older
people should not be able to text instead of the younger generations. I am
biased on this, because I am a 19 year old college student, but it seems to
me that the safest people to be texting while driving would be the ones who
are the best and fastest at it.
This law prevents those of us who
take three seconds to create and send a text from doing so, while allowing
people who take five times as long OR MORE to complete the same
act.
Tell me how that makes our road safer?
Shelly Husch
wrote:
10/20/09 09:57pm •
71.157.173.68
Texting needs to be against the laws for anyone
any age at anytime. I should not have to fear driving because of idiots
using cell phones while driving or texting. I can not believe we have to
share the roads with idiots using phones and texting. If I ever get hit by
someone who was texting Im suing the other driver if Im alive to do so. If
I have a relative that dies because of someone using the phone or texting
while driving Im also suing the other driver.
Anonymous wrote:
10/27/09 10:58am •
204.185.27.1931258554832.1624
I think this is a stupid law. I agree that the
younger generation is better at it. That is all that I have to say about
that. I am not just bias, but i have seen the way my mom texts and she
sucks at it when I take half the time she does to make a message.
Anonymous wrote:
12/03/09 09:13pm •
68.95.71.104
Older folks may be less experienced about
texting, but have MORE driving experience. I don\'t see older folks
texting-mostly talking on their cells while driving.
Anonymous wrote:
12/04/09 02:25pm •
97.87.103.117
Good job morons. Next let us pass a law that
says you can drive with out a seatbelt, but only if your 18.
A law passed last week by the Missouri General Assembly bans texting while driving--but only for those under 21 years of age.
I think this is just one of those times when a compromise of some sort was needed to get the bill through.
Once it is in place and everyone sees that it works well, doesn't cause any terrible problems, and people support it, then they'll remove the age restriction.
It's just a case of getting the nose of the camel in first and then the whole camel will follow soon afterwards (or we hope it will, anyway!).
Not that you shouldn't say what you did--in fact I'd suggest emailing your comments to Sen. McKenna, who sponsored the bill. Link below.
Web link: http://www.senate.mo.gov/09info/members/mem22.htm
"Chris wrote: 07/17/09 08:02am • 168.166.80.229
This law is so stupid! Are they going to ban eating, applying makeup, reading, talking, or navigating while driving too??"
The total control has to start somewhere subtle and small... Very similar to what they are doing with firearms. Right to bear arms well the average citizen can’t legally own a fully automatic weapon, last I check it is classified as an arm and not a weapon of mass destruction.
But I have noticed that the younger generation is really good at texting while doing other things... I noticed a younger kid skateboarding down the street while texting on his phone... I can barely text and drive and I'm twenty-one. The things kids can do these days
If anything, the older people should not be able to text instead of the younger generations. I am biased on this, because I am a 19 year old college student, but it seems to me that the safest people to be texting while driving would be the ones who are the best and fastest at it.
This law prevents those of us who take three seconds to create and send a text from doing so, while allowing people who take five times as long OR MORE to complete the same act.
Tell me how that makes our road safer?