It may soon be illegal for drivers in Rhode Island under the age of 18 to send text messages while driving, though they've been banned from using hand-held cell phones since 2006.
At least five states have banned hand-held cell phone use while driving, according to a Jan. 16 article in the Providence Journal. Washington and New Jersey are the only states that have instituted text and instant messaging bans, according to the article.
First- and second-time offenders would incur a $50 fine, while repeated offenses would involve a higher fine and even a revocation of the teenager's driver's license until the driver's 18th birthday, according to the Journal. Though the bill is aimed at teenage drivers, the General Assembly is also considering a bill that would ban all hand-held cell phone use while driving in the state.
Ross Cheit, associate professor of political science and public policy, said that though banning text messaging and hand-held cell phone use while driving will make roads safer, it is already implicitly possible for officers to ticket drivers who text message. If text messaging causes drivers to lose attention and drive erratically, drivers can be ticketed for breaking the "rules of the road," he said.
The bill only adds a minor specification to behavior that is already illegal, Cheit said.
"I think these kinds of bills are enforcement tools and that the benefit from the point of view of the state is that if you have a specific prohibition against something, it's then easier to enforce against someone who's done it," he said.
Despite the threat of fines, Lauren Reimnitz '11 said she didn't think she would change her habits while driving if the law passed.
"The law just changed in California, where I'm from, and it didn't affect me," Reimnitz said.
Zohar Atkins '10 said he does not text message while driving, but he is still opposed to the bill because he believes it "infringes upon human freedom."
Michael Hoe '08 occasionally sends text messages while driving, but he said he would probably change his habits if the bill were passed. Still, he doubts how strictly the law could be enforced.
"It's one thing to be on your phone and they can see it, but if they're texting and it's closer to their laps, how are they going to see?" Hoe said.
Lt. John Ryan, commanding officer of the Providence Police Department District 9 substation, which serves College Hill, said the law would be difficult to enforce, but he said that officers would definitely issue tickets if drivers were caught text messaging after the law went into effect.
"It'd be very difficult - you'd have to see somebody doing it inside the car," Ryan said.
Across the country there have been several cases of text messaging causing car accidents, including one that resulted in the death of a 13-year-old boy in Massachusetts last month, according to the Journal. Ryan was not aware of any cell phone-related accidents in Providence.
Since September 2007, the Department of Public Safety has assisted the PPD with 11 motor vehicle accidents, DPS Executive Officer Paul Shanley wrote in an e-mail to The Herald.
"None of the accidents so far have shown any evidence of cell phone use as a factor in the accident," Shanley said.
