Michigan Bans Texting and Driving

Texting behind the wheel is considered careless and distracted driving. Many car accidents in Michigan are caused by texting and driving. Sadly, people have been injured or lost their lives due to their own carelessness or the negligence of another driver texting behind the wheel.

Michigan recently became the twenty-fourth state to adopt legislation banning texting while driving. Governor Jennifer Granholm signed a bill in April that became effective July 1, 2010, making it illegal to send text messages while driving.

For anyone caught texting while driving in Michigan, it will be a primary offense with a $100 price tag for the first offense, and each violation after that will cost $200. Points are not added to drivers' records according to Michigan law but a police officer can pull a driver over for reading, writing, or sending a text message.

It may be difficult for Michigan police to catch texting violations and enforce the ban, but the law states that a police officer does not have to see a driver texting. If someone is driving badly enough, a police officer can pull that driver over for questioning and cite them for careless driving or texting while driving. Careless driving affects a driver's record, and carries a stiffer penalty than texting while driving.

Driving while texting is worse than drinking and driving because a driver's eyes are taken off the road. Deputy Chief Tom Hillen of the Kentwood Police Department said a driver who is texting is twenty-three times more likely to be involved in a crash because of how often their eyes are taken off the road. According to the Department of Transportation, research shows that drivers take their eyes off the road while sending text messages an average of 4.6 seconds out of every 6 seconds.

This new bill will help prevent Michigan car crashes and make the roads a safer place by changing drivers' behavior. Unfortunately, not everyone will stop texting immediately, but just as people have learned over time to buckle up and not to drink and drive, the practice of not texting and driving in Michigan will come.

Texting and driving can cause Michigan car accidents, which can lead to serious injuries such as broken bones, back and neck injuries, head trauma, spinal cord injury, or even wrongful death. If you have been involved in a car crash in Saint Joseph, Michigan, and you believe it was caused by a distracted driver, contact the law firm of Keller and Keller and speak with an experienced Michigan accident attorney today toll-free at (800) 253-5537, or (269) 983-7333.

We represent injured victims in the cities of Saint Joseph, South Bend, Battle Creek, Fort Wayne, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Elkhart, Grand Rapids, Niles, Granger, Benton Harbor, Benton Charter Township, Benton Heights, South Haven, Coloma, Hagar Township, Buchanan, and Buchanan Township and throughout Michigan.

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