Hidden danger

There is a threat on the highways far deadlier than terrorists and mercury. It is something more dangerous than drugs and has now been proven to be a larger threat to life than alcohol. This threat is no stranger. It is an activity that we have all passively watched our friends and peers execute.

It is a hazardous engagement that the majority of us have participated in, but not one of us has broken the law. In fact there are no laws in the state of Indiana (and very few in the country) prohibiting anyone from putting their lives and those around them at risk.

So what is this quiet but life-threatening culprit?

Texting while driving.

A new study of 17- to 24-years-olds has shown that drivers have a diminished reaction time of 35 percent when reading or writing text messages while behind the wheel. This is in comparison to a 21 percent deterioration of reaction time when a driver is under the influence of marijuana and a 12 percent decline at the legal limit of alcohol.
The study also showed that those multitasking by driving and texting had increased difficulty keeping the proper distance between their vehicle and others on the road. Texting drivers also had a tendency to drift out of their lane while behind the wheel.

Cell phone legislation on a whole has seen very little reform in this country. Few states have done much of anything to counteract the dangers associated with cell phone use while driving. In fact only Alaska, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Jersey and Washington have bans against texting and driving.

Some states have bans on using handheld devices while driving. These states include California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Washington. Indiana has no laws prohibiting handheld devices or texting while driving. However, there is legislation pending that would forbid drivers who are younger than 18 from accessing a cell phone at all while driving.

The inherent problem here lies not in the lack of regulation of cell phone use while driving but in the hypocrisy of what the state deems safe while in a vehicle. DUIs and DWIs carry harsh fines and penalties in an effort to keep the streets safe, but what this new study proves is that even though a person may be sober, if they are not paying attention to the road they pose a bigger threat than someone who is intoxicated.

In Indiana if a person younger than 21 drives with a BAC between .02 and .08 they are eligible to be charged with a Class C Infraction and have their license suspended for a year. For driving under the influence of a controlled substance a person will receive a Class C misdemeanor. Even the presence of a controlled substance that is already metabolized in one’s body is considered a misdemeanor.

The punishment for texting while driving? None.