Comments on: Texas: Cell phone laws, legislation

By: Chlee

Chlee — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:09:13 +0000

this is not true

By: Sandy

Sandy — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:55:00 +0000

CBs, car phones, cassette players, 8-tracks, radios, eating, putting on makeup, children in the back seat (or talking to a passenger in the back seat!), etc. have all served as distractions in the car over the years.

I conduct business on a cell phone (responsibly) as I drive; and being able to do so on the road saves considerable time and allows me to serve countless needy and homeless people. It adds hours to my day. I pull over if I need to dial a number or write something down.

The real danger lies in TEXTING while driving. If a texter causes an accident, phone records can be checked to establish guilt. The texter should be ticketed “at fault” and held liable for financial losses, deaths, etc. Texter should be held accountable according to standard laws of the state… no special legislation is necessary. Wahlah!

By: John McGinnis

John McGinnis — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:11:10 +0000

When did we all become so important that we have to be reached by phone while driving? Texting and reading messages on devices while driving is extreemly dangerous! But the fact is engageing in a conversation while driving is distracted driving. Is there anything so important that it can’t wait until you have gotten out of the car. I think there should be a national law banning the use of telephones, hands free or otherwise, and get back to paying attention to the road, instead of whose on the phone. The people of this nation all drove without phones for 60 years, and we all got by just fine. Put down the friggin phone and drive!

By: Editor

Editor — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 10:28:07 +0000

That would be a judgment call. If I were a judge (well, dad was) I would side with the cop:

It is illegal to use a handheld electronic device in school zones, the emphasis being on handheld. If you were holding a cell phone in your hands at the time the officer spotted you, it seems reasonable to assume you’re using the device in some way. The vast majority of people put down a cell phone immediately after its use. And the holding of a cell phone while driving certainly violates the spirit of the law. The Texas school zone law does not specify that the phone must be out of the driver’s reach.

Look under the “Current prohibitions” section (above) for a link to the statutes and Sec. 545.425.

By: ipcoyne

ipcoyne — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 10:04:21 +0000

I live in Texas. Is it against the law, to your knowledge, to hold a cell phone (off or otherwised closed) while driving in a school zone?

Recently a school district police officer flagged me down and said it was against the law to even hold your cell phone…that it had to be put down somewhere. So I put it on my lap…. and he said that was against the law too. That I needed to put in on the floor. Do you know if this is the law?

By: Barbara

Barbara — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 16:59:42 +0000

My fellow Texans…let’s get real. The next time any of us gets t-boned in an intersection or rear-ended at a red light, the first thing we’re going to holler is: S/he was prolly yackin on that #&$^ cell phone! Ahmma sue that sum$&^{$.” And it will be at THAT moment when the clouds will part to reveal clear blue skies.. you’ll hear the Simpson’s theme song…and all of a sudden….YOU WILL become pro ban!

Additionally however there are three things we should also consider banning
1.) Texting/gaming/etc
2.) EATING AND DRINKING and
3.) Uh….ummmm…danggit help me out here willya? I can’t remember the third thing …. Oops!

(Awww c’mon now you saw it coming!)

By: Anthony

Anthony — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 23:42:41 +0000

I guess if we cannot read, write, send or receive any wirelessly delivered text or other text then we had better remove our car radios (you know those fancy ones with all the HD messages with the song and artist names). Oh and last I looked all “text” that I read is indeed text, I guess that we had better remove any “text” that is printed in the car. Well there goes remembering which stalk operates the lights and wipers. Oh and if it against the law for me to read text while driving I guess that would include anything outside the vehicle too. No officer, I did NOT read that stop sign/speed limit/ yield sign..they have text on them too..didn’t want to get a ticket for reading ya know.

By: Robin

Robin — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 04:00:02 +0000

I hate big government, and I hate laws controlling our everyday lives, but I think that there should be a ban on texting while driving. In most “safety” cases, I wouldn’t agree, but this is legit. Think of all of the lives distracted driving has taken. Yes, while educating people will help, you will always have people that won’t cooperate until punished.

By: Marie

Marie — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 00:44:16 +0000

Everything is so backwards! Do you know about the massive solar flares that we are having? Is the government warning you about the potential power grid failures that we could have. Do you know that the public is largely unaware. If that solar spot pointed at the earth erupts you won’t have to worry about their legislation about cell phones, because there won’t be any. Do you see what is going on all over the world. Bigger things than regulating our cell phones. . Keep your freedom, Don’t let them regulate every little thing you do or before you know it you will lose all your freedom! I am against it

By: Zina

Zina — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 19:58:35 +0000

This is not about freedom, this is about safety. I have seen not oly young kids but so many adults driving and texting, even one with an infant car seat. What are you waiting for? Kill innocent people due to a text? The Insurance premium should be incresed big time for those in a car accident due to texting while driving. How about that?

Also, cell phone providers should be liable for not educating consumer of the risk. They should be enganged into educating consumers and providing a FREE hands-free device.