North Dakota bans texting, driving

North Dakota, one of the few remaining states without any distracted driving law, has just become the 31st state to ban text messaging while driving.

State Rep. Larry Klemin’s House Bill 1195 prohibits all drivers from using a wireless communications device to read, write and send an electronic message (includes email).

The bill was signed April 26 by Gov. Jack Dalrymple. The North Dakota texting and driving law takes effect Aug. 1, with fines of $100. Enforcement is primary.

Dalrymple said at the signing ceremony: “Texting while driving is clearly a dangerous distraction that can result in serious injury or death, and I’m glad to see we are joining a growing number of states that are taking this action to make our roads a safer place.”

In 2009, Klemin (pictured) saw his bill that would have banned text messaging soundly defeated in the House.

The governor also approved the sweeping teen traffic safety bill House Bill 1256. Among its provisions is a ban on electronic communications device use by drivers under the age of 18. That means no texting or talking for teen drivers — no hands-free devices.

North Dakota currently has no statute that punishes distracted driving.

Sponsors of both successful bills pointed to North Dakota’s getting in step with the nationwide movement toward meaningful distracted driving and teen safety laws.

“Today, North Dakota joins 30 other states and the District of Columbia in enacting a law to prohibit texting while driving by all drivers,” said Klemin, R-Bismarck, of his HB 1195.

“House Bill 1256 moves North Dakota closer to the rest of the country in helping young drivers receive more opportunities to gain driving experience, promote driving safely, reduce teen accidents and most importantly, save young people’s lives,” said sponsor Rep. George Keiser, also R-Bismarck.

The governor added that “our youngest and most inexperienced drivers will benefit from a process that will better prepare them for the road and help keep them and others safe.”

Distracted driving fighter Ray LaHood, secretary of Transportation, press-released: “North Dakota has taken an important step to eliminate distracted driving. Thanks to the bill signed today by Governor Dalrymple, North Dakota roads will be safer for everyone.”

The text messaging ban was initially rejected by the House Transportation Committee. The panel then deadlocked twice on the bill, but a supporter changed his vote to “no” so the measure could finally move out of committee and on to the House floor, where it was approved.

The bill was watered down in the Senate, however. The following penalties for texting behind the wheel were removed by Senate on March 28, just before voting its approval: “Two points against license (first offense), then four points. For third and subsequent violations, one-year suspension of driver’s license.”

The House gave its final approval April 5.

Adults tie teens in texting, driving

Adults are just as likely to text message while driving as teenagers, according to a new national survey.

“Adults may be the ones sounding the alarm on the dangers of distracted driving, but they don’t always set the best example themselves,” said Mary Madden of the Pew Research Center.

The finding contradicts the widely held belief that texting and driving is primarily a problem with teens. The Pew report on distracted driving does show, however, that young adults (ages 18 to 34) are the most likely to text and drive, by far (59 percent).

More than a quarter of U.S. adults (27 percent) admit to texting while behind the wheel, Pew reports. Texting teens posted almost identical numbers (26 percent).

Police say texting and driving is more dangerous for teens, who have far less experience behind the wheel than adults. At any age, texting and operating a motor vehicle has been found to dramatically increase the chances of an accident.

Adults who say then have driven while on a cell phone clearly outpace teenagers, the distracted driving poll found. 61 percent of adults said they used a mobile phone while driving, vs. 43 percent of teenagers (ages 16, 17).

Nine in 10 members of Generation X (34-45 years old) who own cell phones report that they talk and drive. Seniors come in at 50 percent.

Adults 18-33 are the most likely to admit they text while driving (59 percent) compared with age groups 34-45 (50 percent) and 46-64 (29 percent).

More findings from the Pew study:

• Almost half of all adults and teens say they have been passengers in a vehicle when the driver was text messaging.
• 44 percent of adults say they’ve been in a vehicle when the driver used a cell phone in a dangerous way. 40 percent of the teens said they had. This figure decreases dramatically with age.
• Pew says 14 percent of adult drivers have run into something or someone while talking or texting.
• Men are more likely than women to admit texting while behind the wheel (51 percent of men who use text messaging devices vs. 42 percent of women).
• 82 percent of adults have cell phones. 58% text message on their mobile phones.

Telephone interviews were conducted with 2,252 adult drivers in late May and early April. Numbers for teens came from earlier reports. Adults may be more reliable than teens in self-reporting their behaviors.

Another recent report found that states are increasingly fighting distracted driving.

Forty-three states are now collecting data on distraction as a factor in road and highway accidents. That compares with 17 in 2003, the Governors Highway Safety Association reports.

Twenty-seven states have written distracted driving provisions into their Strategic Highway Safety Plans. (That’s almost the same number of states that had adopted laws on texting and talking while behind the wheel.) The SHSPs reflect priorities and programs in departments of transportation and motor vehicles, as well as safety programs.

Thirty-seven states have launched public information campaigns to warn of the hazards of distracted driving.