Councilman Greg Stanton
Ahwatukee Foothills News Column

Composing, sending or receiving text messages while driving is extremely distracting for drivers and puts all those using the roadway at risk. Most recently a high school student from Peoria lost her life and killed a 40-year-old mother apparently as a result of text messaging while driving. The Peoria incident is the latest in a string of car accidents involving drivers who text message.

In June, a 22-year-old Gilbert woman who was text messaging while driving hit a parked police car that had its emergency lights flashing. I’m sure you have also heard about the incident in upstate New York where text messages were sent and received on a 17-year-old driver's cell phone moments before her vehicle slammed head-on into a truck, killing her and four other high school graduates.

As a result, I have led an effort at the city of Phoenix to address this important issue. At the recent Phoenix City Council Subcommittee meeting, we unanimously passed a resolution in support of state legislation to restrict text messaging while driving. Staff will also conduct outreach to school districts to bring the dangers of text messaging while driving to the attention of student drivers.

During the meeting, members of the Subcommittee discussed taking on more than just a resolution – in fact, we proposed that the city’s Law Department draft an ordinance that will make text messaging while driving against the law. Later this month, the Subcommittee will meet again to review the ordinance. If passed, it will be presented before the City Council to make it illegal to send or receive text messages while driving in Phoenix.

Oregon and Washington have passed laws effective next year that ban text messaging while driving and apply fines to those cited. Six other states including California and New York have similar bills pending. A recent study at the University of Utah at Salt Lake City found that motorists who text message while driving are six times more likely to be distracted and have an accident.

New technologies can be entertaining and beneficial in enhancing our ability to communicate. In my opinion there is an appropriate time and place to take advantage of these tools. Please help me spread the message to do only one thing while driving – and that’s focus on the road.