More States Adopt Harsh Stance on Texting While Driving: Hope to Reduce Car Crashes Due to Distracted Driving
With an increasing amount of states opting to implement a ban on texting while driving, the state of Mississippi may very well be next. As of June 2012, though, Mississippi legislators chose to ignore or table all distracted driving measure proposed for the present year, making Mississippi one of 11 states who have yet to address this issue. Mississippi car accident attorneys, however, know that that doesn't mean such legislation isn't peeking over the horizon. According to a report by USA Today, "Growing concern over the continued use of cell phones by drivers has some states reviewing laws against the practice and exploring stiffer fines and harsher penalties."
In fact, many will recall that In December of 2011, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) distributed a press release calling for an outright and nationwide ban of all electronic devices for motorists after studies appeared to show that texting was the primary cause of several fatal crashes. The NTSB, however, does not possess the power to enforce such a ban, leaving the ultimate decision up to the discretion of individual states. Many states took the all-to heart, but while Mississippi earnestly considered similar legislation, contrary to the majority of states, lawmakers here seem to believe laws already in place are doing enough to curb instances of distracted driving - for now that is.
