Dealing with texting while driving

The South Carolina House is considering a bill that would ban text messaging while driving. If approved, violators could be fined and have two violation points placed on their driving record. Now, only eight states have some sort of ban, and we suspect most people want to see it stopped.

Obviously, texting while driving is dangerous, and stupid. We know it has led to accidents, and deaths. And we know it's particularly a problem among teenagers.

We don't disagree with having a law to try to prevent texting while driving, but it's not the answer and it won't solve the problem.

Studies by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety show that laws banning texting while driving don't result in fewer accidents, and in some cases the number of texting-related accidents actually increased. The conclusion made in the study was that drivers were ignoring the ban, but changing the position in which they text. Instead of holding the phone high so the driver's eyes can quickly jump from screen to road, drivers trying to hide their activity keep the phone, and their heads, lower.

Instead of focusing on dealing with the problem after it happens, try to stop it before it starts.

First, we have to educate everyone on the hazards of texting while driving. We train our children to put on their seat belt. Most responsible parents spend time making sure their children understand that. There need to be serious campaigns to drill it into everyone's head that this is dangerous business. Schools have lots of programs to teach kids about the hazards of drugs and alcohol - including driving under the influence. That training needs to be extended to include distracted driving.

We also need to look to the industries that develop the technology. According to The Washington Post, automakers and cell phone manufacturers have been trying to tackle the problem with technology such as integrating voice-recognition technology into cars and offering motion-sensing apps for phones to discourage talking while driving.

Automobile manufacturers are developing technology that should help. Ford, for example, has the Sync system that lets users make calls and get some online information using voice commands.

There is technology available that prevent drivers, and sometimes passengers, from using a cell phone while a vehicle is moving. But these are add-on services so they can be turned on and off. If we're serious about stopping this problem, we need to be serious about a solution. Strict safety standards are in place for car makers. This type of technology should be included in vehicles, just like air bags and seat belts.