She got off easy with three tickets. I don't know what the penalties for texting while driving would be had that law existed, but I'll bet it would be a lot steeper than that, including loss of license.
The kid who ran into my friend got his license revoked, he won't drive until he's 21. He can text in the car all he wants to now... as long as someone else is driving.
It is not the victims of these preventable accidents who are behind that anti-texting law, it's the police themselves who are lobbying for it. The only statute that they can charge these imbeciles with is "inattentive driving" and they want stiffer penalties associated with texting.
For a law to be changed, usually it involves (1) loss of life and (2) more money for the government.
[...it’s the police themselves who are lobbying for it.]
WRONG! I have several friends and family who are police officers, country sheriffs, deputy sheriffs and court bailiffs; most of them say that the laws are strong enough, it is the liberal judges (which here in Texas are elected to the bench) who let the people get off with a wrist-slap!
I have seen, with my own two eyes, a first time drunk-driver walk away with time served (22 hours) and $150.00 fine! He could have spent a year in prison, $5000.00 and a loss of his driving privileges (which is what he should have gotten)! But, the liberal judge let him walk, because he learned his lesson! The man had six DUI’s before he lost his license!
Just as I stated, the law doesn’t say I can’t type and drive, so if I put my laptop in my lap and type (via email, because that isn’t “technically” texting) then I am not breaking the law - right? When does this STUPIDITY stop?
Like you said, the laws are written to enforce common sense, and that should NOT be the case. If you are too stupid to come in out of the rain, then a law is not going to stop you from getting wet! The laws nine times out of ten, are fine; it is the selective application (as you stated earlier)!
[...but I’ll bet it would be a lot steeper than that, including loss of license. ]
No, you don’t loose your license, you get a bigger fine. Now, had someone gotten killed, then she could have gotten vehicular manslaughter charges.