Utah Bans Texting While Driving
After a lengthy debate during this legislative session, Utah has become the ninth state to ban text-messaging and driving. According to ABC 4 News, Governor Jon Huntsman signed the bill into law on March 26. The bill will come into effect on July 1, making texting and driving a Class C misdemeanor with a fine of roughly $70. This bill has been passed in light of statistics and research showing the inherent dangers of texting and driving. Since 2005, 16 people have died in Utah traffic accidents where texting drivers have been suspected of causing the deaths. Law enforcement worry they will have trouble enforcing the law, as it is difficult to determine whether a driver is texting or simply dialing a number to call. Despite these complexities, police believe that the new law will be beneficial and help make Utah’s roads safer.
For more information on the statistics of text-messaging and driving, visit Utah’s accident law firm’s website. (http://utahaccidentlawfirm.com/library/)
