A company based in Elk Grove, California known as ADEPT Driver has been attempting to spread the word about the importance of a ban on even hands-free texting and driving. Their latest effort centers around relating to citizens the results of research from the Traffic Injury Research Foundation.
That report, known as Driver Distraction and Hands-Free Texting While Driving, compiled evidence from a wide range of studies from such agencies as the Department of Transportation, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Centers for Disease Control, and more. The research bolsters the idea that hands-free texting communications still pose a hazard on the road. The reasoning behind this conclusion seems to be that a person’s mind is removed from the road even when their hands are on the wheel. And there are many times where a person has to look at their phones to verify the accuracy of their message.
California may soon make strides in rooting out this potentially dangerous behavior. A bill that would make hands-free texting at the wheel an illegal act has been introduced in the Assembly, and it’s set to be debated today by the Assembly Appropriations Committee. If the ban moves forward, it will come one step closer to becoming law and possibly making the roads safer for drivers.