Staff editorial: 2 st. leg: do more w/law

Students may have noticed a slight difference in their morning commute today: the lack of hundreds of other drivers on the highway who shouldn't have been texting away on their cell phones. At least that's the hope of the Maryland General Assembly, whose ban on text messaging while driving went into effect last Thursday.

A year after it was initially introduced, an act forbidding texting while driving finally told drivers enough is enough. Drivers caught sending text messages while driving could be fined up to $500. And on the eve of the new law being instated, President Barack Obama banned federal employees from texting while behind the wheel of government vehicles or using government-issued cell phones while driving.

A ban on text messaging while driving is long overdue. Drivers who partake in activities that cause them to take their eyes off the road, like texting, cause nearly 80 percent of all accidents. Many of those casualties are young adults and teens. While the ban in this state is a step in the right direction, it doesn't go far enough.

Police now have the ability to pull over anyone suspected of texting, but the ban has left striking loopholes. It does not punish drivers from posting to Facebook or Twitter, writing e-mails or playing games on their iPhones. It is also still legal to read text messages, and there is no mention of drivers searching for music on MP3 players. These discrepancies in the law dilute the effectiveness of the ban and continues to put lives at risk.

It will be up to state law enforcement officers to enforce the law based on what they observe, much in the same way they enforce mandatory seat-belt laws. Proving a driver was texting and not Twittering could be a difficult task, but drivers in accidents could have their cell phone records obtained. The new law bans texting, but it hopefully will reinforce the idea that using Twitter and Facebook behind the wheel is equally stupid.

The District of Columbia and the 28 states, including this state, that have placed restrictions on texting are leading the way in what should be a nationwide effort. Even though the federal government does not have the authority to ban distracted driving nationwide, they should encourage every state government to ban these activities. Studies show 93 percent of American drivers support a nationwide ban on texting while driving.

There are few situations where it is absolutely imperative to respond to a text while driving. Talking on the phone is still legal in this state, and if a text is really necessary, drivers can  pull over. Congress should ensure texting and any other activity that results in drivers typing away on their cell phones are illegal across the country.

Laws aren't enacted unless there are serious problems with the current system. Most people agree driving while texting is distracting and dangerous, but many — young and old — continue to do it. We live busy lives, and our social and professional obligations can make responding to that text seem of vital importance. But what's more important is the need for fewer people to die on the roads each year due to foolishness. The world is a hectic place, but we could all benefit from taking a minute to put the phone down and keep our eyes on the road.