Texting And Driving Could Become A Primary Offense In Virginia
January 19, 2012
Texting while driving may be illegal in the state of Virginia, but in order to be pulled over for the offense, a driver has to be doing something else wrong. This may change soon though according to reports from WSLS 10 News that say a new bill recently passed through the Senate would make texting and driving a primary offense, allowing officers to pull over drivers if they are caught in the act on their phones.
Senate Bill 219 was examined on Wednesday by the Senate Transportation Committee and approved by a vote of eight to five with one voter abstaining. Also approved was legislation that would make using a cellphone a primary offense for teen drivers with provisional licenses.
Sen. George L. Barker spoke to the committee in favor of the laws pointing out that drivers who text are more than 23 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than those who don’t. He added that making cellphone use a primary offense would “encourage greater compliance” from drivers.
The legislation will now go before the full Senate for a vote during the next session.
The Virginia Car Accident Lawyers with the Skolrood Law Firm know that statistically using a cell phone will driving is more dangerous than driving drunk. That is why they ask for drivers to put their phones down while behind the wheel.
