Kentucky drivers could soon face fines for texting and driving

A Nationwide Mutual Insurance survey, released earlier this year, found that eight out of 10 drivers admitted to using their cell phones while driving. And one in five of drivers said they use their phones to send text messages from behind the wheel.A study conducted by the Virginia Tech Transportation institute revealed drivers can travel the distance of a football field at 55 mph, in just under five seconds - the average time a person took their eyes off the road to send or view a text message.

These statistics and survey results have lawmakers and enforcers concerned.

Eighteen states have already passed legislation prohibiting texting while driving, and seven other states have laws restricting texting for newly licensed drivers.

Earlier this summer, U.S. senators from New York, New Jersey, North Carolina and Louisiana (states who already have a Driving While Distracted ban) unveiled a plan for a national bill that would penalize those caught texting while driving throughout the U.S.

The ALERT Act, proposed on July 31, would ban truck and car drivers and other "mass transit operators" from sending text messages and e-mails from behind the wheel. Should the bill pass, the national Department of Transportation would establish minimum standards for compliance.

But senators lobbying for the bill are in favor of that minimum being a high one, as the bill suggests that states that do not enact the legislation should lose 25 percent of federal highway funds until they agree to adopt the policy.

Warren County Representative Jody Richards (D) has already pre-filed a bill on Sept. 9 asking Kentucky legislators to consider legislation "prohibiting text messaging while operating a motor vehicle," as soon as they resume the 2010 session in January.

The bill proposed by Richards doesn't suggest immediately fining drivers caught sending messages behind the wheel, but would call for a probationary period, ending Jan. 1, 2011, where courtesy warning would be issued. After the probationary period ends, the proposal suggests fines would be placed at $20 to $100 in addition to court costs, which currently weigh-in at $143 for Kentucky.

Greg Crockett, a sergeant at the Kentucky State Police Post in Richmond, said he thinks putting the concern for safety into a legislative format would send up a necessary red-flag for inattentive drivers.

"When you make something law, it becomes public knowledge," he said. "Newspapers will publish that and put it in print, and people seem to pay more attention to that. If we never try to get that legislation passed, kids won't know [how dangerous it is] until they get pulled over."

Crockett said he sees the benefits of creating a law for prohibiting texting and driving, but thinks most drivers should realize how unsafe the practice is on their own.

"Whether it's illegal or not, it's just really not in the best interest of other people," he said.

However Crockett cautioned that just because the ban on texting and driving is not formally a Kentucky state statute yet, doesn't mean drivers won't still be pulled over if caught doing so.

"Under the current law, the way it's written, that (sending text messages while driving) actually would fit the statute of careless driving," he said.

Crockett said he feels most drivers would realize the many dangers for themselves and other passers-by alike if they would take more time to analyze their driving habits. Driver inattention is one of the main reasons for all collisions, he said.

"People need to think a little bit about what could happen," he said. "It's just like what we tell people when they decide to drink and drive. If you would just take a second to think before you do it, maybe you wouldn't do it."

Crockett recommended drivers ask a passenger respond to their text messages, or waiting until the car is stopped to view or send a message.

If it's something you absolutely feel you have to do, pull over and finish your texting before you get back on the road," he said. "If you're going to drive a motor vehicle you have to use precautions. It's like wearing your seatbelt and stopping at stop signs, I think not texting is right along those lines. I think that's common sense.

Nathan Reeves, a junior fire and safety major from Independence, Ky., said he recognizes the risk associated with texting and driving, but doesn't plan to quit.

"I think it's really dangerous but I do it all the time," he said. "I think it would be a safe law, but it would be hard to enforce."

Senior music education major from Cincinnati, Angela Parsons, said she never texts while driving.

"You have to sit and stare at the phone and you don't pay attention to what's going on on the road," she said. "It's serious ... you're endangering you life and other people's lives."

A presidential summit is being planned in Washington D.C. for the end of September to discuss the issue further, but for now, lawmakers and citizens are still debating the ALERT Act and state laws surrounding texting and driving,