Ban on reading texts while driving now in effect

Although state law now prohibits Maryland motorists from reading text messages while driving, University Police officers said they are not planning any specific crackdowns on the campus.

The original texting law, which came into effect October 2009, only restricted sending text messages. The new law, which became effective Saturday, makes reading and sending text messages while driving — even if one is sitting at a red light — a primary offense.

If pulled over for texting while driving, motorists will be fined $70 and receive one point on their license; if texting while driving contributes to an accident, the motorist will be required to pay a $110 fine and receive three points. Additionally, there is a $110 fine for second offenses.

Despite such hefty repercussions, University Police officers said they don't have plans for any serious crackdowns in the future.

"Our officers, now that it is a primary offense, will certainly be watching for it," spokesman Capt. Marc Limansky said. "We understand that there are a lot of traffic offenses that cause injuries because of texting, but there are no plans right now to do any kind of check point or specific kind of enforcement."

Police officers from 76 state police departments have issued 587 warnings and 379 traffic citations for driving while texting, according to a Maryland State Police Department press release issued last week.

According to the release, AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reported 67 percent of drivers admitted to talking on their cell phones while driving within the last 30 days; 21 percent of drivers indicated they had read or sent a text or email message. That figure rose to 40 percent for drivers under the age of 35.

Limansky said University Police are well aware of the prevalence of texting while driving, noting that officers may change how heavily they crack down on it.

"If we run into a situation where it becomes evident to us that there have been multiple crashes involving texting, we'll do some more specific enforcement," he said.

Many students said they found the law ambiguous and difficult to understand.

"If the law just says you can't read a text, can you surf the web or play a game if you're stopped at a red light?" said junior communication major Devon Harris. "I think in theory it's a good law but it leaves a lot out, and it'll be hard for police to really crack down."

But State Highway Administration spokeswoman Lora Rakowski said the law strictly refers to reading and writing text messages. She noted that surfing the web and playing games are equally as distracting for drivers.

"We know from studies that texting distracts drivers, and the language of this law is specific to texting," Rakowski said. "But, for any type of activity that's going to distract a driver, the best practice is to avoid those activities and focus on the task at hand, which is driving."

The law does not apply to texting 911 or using a GPS, she added. Speaking on a non-hands-free cell phone is still a secondary offense in the state.

Some students, such as sophomore marketing major Brooks Gabel, said they don't think the law will change drivers' behavior behind the wheel.

"I honestly don't think it'll change the behaviors of many drivers," Gabel said. "People have grown so dependent on technology that I really don't think any law would truly cause people to completely refrain from using their phone while driving."

But Limansky disagreed, saying this kind of public reaction is common after many new laws are passed.

"When they first passed the mandatory seatbelt law, people didn't think they would change and start wearing their seatbelts all the time," Limansky said. "But now it's just second nature. I think the same sort of thing will happen with texting and reading texts while driving. The goal is really just to save lives."

egan@umdbk.com