Horn Law, Kansas City’s car accident attorneys, welcomes a new law that bans text messaging while driving for all motorists in the state of Kansas . The law went into effect on New Year’s Day. Kansas law enforcement personnel, who had been issuing warnings, will now begin writing citations for motorists who are caught violating the ban.
Kansas is now one of 30 states in the US that bans text messaging while driving. The ban includes reading and sending text messages while driving, and includes texting while stopped at a traffic light or a stoplight. The bill was signed into law last spring. There are certain exceptions to the ban, like in situations where motorists need to report a crime, or read emergency weather alerts. Motorists, who are caught violating the ban, will be slapped with a $60 fine, plus court costs.
As a Kansas City car accident lawyer, I would also like law enforcement personnel to combine legislation and enforcement and awareness. First and foremost, it’s very important to make sure that every motorist is aware of the new rule. It’s also important to make motorists understand that obeying the new legislation is not just their civic duty, but also makes great traffic since. There are studies that indicate that only legislation by itself does not help reduce distracted driving. Law enforcement agencies need to combine legislation banning texting while driving with awareness of the dangers of such practices.
Besides, I would like to believe that the texting ban is just the beginning of a long and well-planned effort against distracted driving. In doing my part, I hope my “Drive By Example” awareness campaign, set to launch in 2011, will be extremely effective in everyone understanding that driving demands the highest degree of care. For more information about Horn Law’s highway safety advocacy efforts, see www.highwaysafetyattorney.com.
