Celebrate—Texting While Driving Ban to Make Roads Safer

For many years Meridian has been celebrated for stepping up to lead the way in the Treasure Valley and Idaho when it comes to programs and initiatives. We have been innovative in our use of reclaimed water – the first City in Idaho to receive a Class A permit; we created a prescription drug drop-off program that is being emulated by others; and since last week we have a new ordinance banning text messaging (or emailing) while driving. While we may not be the first in Idaho to take this step, we are leading this issue in the Treasure Valley as a way to keep our roads safe for all who travel.

Texting while driving has received quite a bit of media attention over the past month, but it is important to share the reasoning behind the change. This issue has been spearheaded by members of the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council (MYAC) – teens who see the dangers that occur when friends and family text while driving. Members of MYAC researched this issue and worked diligently to lobby the legislature last year; during that process I learned a lot of surprising statistics about texting while driving. Here are some you should know.

· 60 percent of drivers admit to texting while driving

· The average teen sent 435 texts a month in 2007; now its 2,899 per month – 97 a day

· If you text and drive you are twenty three times more likely to get in an accident

· Drivers who text often have delayed responses similar to those found to be driving under the influence of alcohol

· Over 20% of fatal car crashes involving teens were the result of cell phone usage

While the legislature failed to enact legislation on this issue last year, our Police Department knew that texting while driving was a growing problem that needed to be addressed. Under existing laws, texting while driving could be addressed under “inattentive driving”. The problem in using this as the only enforcement tool is that even if the officer sees someone texting and not watching the road, they can’t do anything until they swerve in and out of their lane, rear-end another car, or heaven forbid kill someone. According to the third annual 2010 Traffic Safety Culture Index by AAA, 86% of motorists rated drivers who text and email as a very serious threat to their safety. That’s 1% more than people rated those who drive after drinking.

We have a vested interest in protecting other drivers, as this behavior puts others’ lives at risk, not just their own. The Meridian Police Department would like police officers to be proactive in texting enforcement and preventing future tragedies.

This new ordinance that was passed by City Council unanimously is known as “Kassy’s Law”. Kassy Kerfoot was a Meridian High school student who died last year in an accident she caused while texting; since that time Kassy’s family has been touring local schools and the country educating individuals on the harms of texting while driving. Her story reminds us that we need to intervene before texting while driving becomes deadly.

Currently 30 states ban texting while driving, and starting November 1 the Meridian Police Department began educating the public about the ordinance with warnings to drivers. In December, the offense for texting while driving will be an infraction with a $75 fine for the first or second offense, and the third offense will be a misdemeanor with the potential of $300 and/or up to 90 days in jail. While we all recognize this ban alone will not stop all people from texting, we do hope those individuals who do text will learn about the issue and be reminded that no message is worth losing a life over.

In Meridian we will continue to lead on issues that are important and make a difference in our community whether big or small. Our City employees are being urged to not talk on their cell phones when operating vehicles unless it is on a hands-free device. We hope this action will also make our roads safer for everyone and I encourage the community to consider doing the same. Together we can take proactive measures and celebrate all those who are leaving a legacy and making Meridian the premier place to live, work and raise a family.