Police officers will soon begin pulling over and giving warnings to drivers who text or use e-mail on their cell phones. The new bill, which Governor Mark Parkinson signed into law May 24, takes effect Thursday. Kansas Highway Patrol Captain Art Wilburn said police would start looking for texting Thursday won’t issue the $60 fine until after Jan. 1.
Students and others driving on campus could also get tickets. Assistant chief of police Chris Keary said University Public Safety would begin looking for the violation as well..
Research has found that texting while driving significantly increases the probability of a car crash. The bill stated that more than 29 lives would be saved and more than 4,100 injuries would be avoided with the new law.
State Senator Jay Emler, a Republican from Lindsborg, introduced the bill and called texting while driving “a popular rat” during the full Senate debate on the anti-texting bill. Emler said he spent two years on an ambulance service and picked up several victims who were too young to die. In some cases, he said the accidents were caused by careless drivers.
“While talking on a cellular phone is distracting, perhaps even dangerous, texting while driving is absolutely dangerous,” Emler said.
Emler said a good police officer would be able to determine if the driver was texting, just as the officer determines if there is reason to believe the driver is under the influence.
“I believe with education of the public, this bill will save lives and curtail, although not stop, texting while driving.” Emler said.
Paul Atchley, an associate professor in psychology, recently surveyed 400 college students aged 18 to 30 on their texting and driving behavior. The results showed that 95 percent of the students were likely to write or respond to a text message while driving.
The research also showed that students were aware that the behavior was risky, but that it didn’t stop them from texting.
Kolbe Schectz, a graduate student from Montrose, Colo., said he never texted while driving because it was dangerous, but he didn’t think the new law would stop people from doing it.
“Drinking and driving is dangerous too, and it is illegal,” Schectz said. “But people still do that.”
Unlike Schectz, Travis Yuile, a junior from Kansas City, Kan., and Kandice Hall, a senior from Kansas City, Mo., said the new law probably would change their texting while driving habits. Both said they texted while driving, but would likely stop because of the new law.