Texting and Driving Laws Difficult To Enforce

The Lynchburg News and Advance reports that police are finding that the new Virginia ban on texting while driving is difficult to enforce. The police officer has to observe the driver texting in order for a violation to occur. In Central Virginia, only 40 convictions have been obtained for the offense since the law went into effect in July, 2013. In all of Virginia, there were around 650 violations of the law in the first 6 months after the law took effect, with even fewer convictions. And yet, driving while distracted, and texting while driving is very distracting, accounts for 20 percent of traffic accidents. Virginia has not done a very good job of educating the public about the law. When you enter Maryland, there are huge signs advising the driver that cellphone use while driving is not permitted. In Virginia, there are plenty of signs advising the driver that speed is checked by aircraft, when in fact, Virginia no longer uses aircraft to ticket speeding drivers. Those signs should be changed to warn drivers about the dangers of texting and driving. Teenage drivers are at particular risk because of their inexperience. it would help to remind them that they should avoid such risky behavior. Francis P. Hajek Wilson & Hajek, LLC, a personal injury law firm Experienced Injury and Accident Lawyers Serving Virginia, including Albemarle, Charlottesville, Fluvanna, Louisa, Madison, Nelson, Orange, Greene, Augusta, Buckingham, Staunton, Waynesboro, Culpepper, Richmond, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News