There has been a lot of discussion in the news about how Utah lawmakers are trying to put a law into effect that will protect the public from text-message-sending motorists. The way they will do this is to outlaw the sending of an e-mail or text message while driving, making it a class-B misdemeanor, and enhancing the penalty up to a third-degree felony if they cause an accident that seriously injures someone. I guess it remains to be seen whether this new law will actually reduce distracted driving and injuries and fatalities that come with it. I hope it does.
One thing that can be done right now, however, that we don’t need to wait to have signed into law, is for parents to set up rules and guidelines on their teenaged children who drive. Studies show that as a whole, teenagers are much more likely to be in a car accident than someone who is say ten years older. But when that teenager is also trying to send a message on their cell phone while navigating a two-ton car down the road, the problem is significantly compounded.
An active cell phone in the hands of a teenage driver is, in my opinion, a recipe for disaster. This is especially true for the teenage text-sending addicts who also happen to have a driver’s license. Before we see any more injuries or fatalities, parents – not Utah’s lawmakers – need to set clear guidelines where the child agrees and contracts with their parent(s) that the cell phone will be completely turned OFF while the teen is sitting in the driver’s seat. We all know that the chimes or vibrations from our phone will cause even the most responsible adult to glance at their phone to see who is trying to reach them. For a teen, the impulse to look at their phone and respond is almost irresistible. This is why the phone must stay off, and not just in standby or silent mode.
And even when the teen turns eighteen and is technically an “adult,” parents should continue to enforce guidelines while that child is driving their car. Indeed, parents who allow their child to drive their car, knowing that their child is likely to be distracted by a cell phone, face possible liability if that child hurts someone while driving distracted. It’s not worth the risk to the parents or the child, and it’s not worth the risk to innocent public they share the road with.
Car accidents can injure, maim and kill people. Proper education to drive responsibly and free of distraction begins at home. Parents need to do their part by either taking away their child’s phone or imposing clear policies that will ensure that the teen places their focus where it needs to be while they are driving: on the road.
Ron Kramer is a personal injury attorney practicing in Salt Lake County.
Published by: Ron Kramer
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