Nassau DA Hatches Plan to Combat Texting While Driving

Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced in Mineola on Monday a five-point plan to combat texting while driving.

Calling texting while driving “a deadly and costly epidemic,” Rice reached out to smartphone manufacturers, auto insurance companies, local courts and law enforcement to join her efforts.

“Research suggests that driving while texting can be as dangerous as driving while drunk, and even more pervasive, especially among young people,” Rice said.

“It’s well established that the practice robs people of their lives and futures,” she added. “Tackling this problem will require a concerted effort by numerous sectors of commerce and government.”

Just how dangerous is texting while driving? The practice has become the leading cause of death among teens in America, according to a North Shore-LIJ Health System’s Cohen Children’s Medical Center study released last year. And according to stoptextsstopwrecks.org, a texting driver is 23 times more likely to get into a crash than a non-texting driver.

The DA’s office also pointed to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration studies, which show that driving while texting has the same effect as driving after consuming four alcoholic drinks and is six times more likely to cause an accident than DWI.

The practice is also equivalent to driving blind for five seconds, the NHTSA reports.

Rice said Monday that her plan comprises:

Letters sent to Apple, Google, Microsoft and Blackberry urging them to create apps that block texting while driving and incorporate them directly into smartphone operating systems

Letters sent to three of the country’s largest insurance industry associations asking them to urge auto insurance providers to supply discounts to policyholders who use devices or apps that block texting while driving.

Recommendations to the sentencing court to require these devices in any case involving a texting violation. Where any charge is reduced as a part of a guilty plea, Rice said she would mandate the device as a condition.

Letters sent to county and local police requesting that summons for texting while driving be issued when justified, including during arrests for higher level, criminal charges such as reckless driving.

A public awareness campaign, including a dedicated webpage with aggregated resources, and enhancing information to high school education programs.

What do you think of the DA’s plan to combat texting and driving? What more can be done? Add your thoughts in the comments section below.