Ford supports bill to abolish texting while driving

You can just not send text messages on hand-held devices while on the road as you won’t be able to keep attentive. The legislation was introduced by Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, D-N.Y. in July this year. Mainly this would require states to bar drivers from texting while driving and if that is something they don’t want to do then perhaps they should be fined for this act by losing a quarter of their annual federal highway funding. Already fourteen states and the District of Columbia have passed laws making the practice illegal. "This legislative approach addresses a nationwide problem we all can agree is necessary to improve safety," Cischke further said.

While they are completely against texting while driving, Ford supports the use of handsfree and voice-activated wireless devices to keep drivers more focused on the road, she said. There has been a lot of studies on this important issue and in late July, the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute came up with a study which found that drivers of heavy trucks who texted behind the wheel had a head on collision risk almost 23 times greater than when they were not texting. It has also been seen by the institute that the results applied to all drivers, not just truckers.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is planning to hold a summit on Sept. 30 which will be consisted of experts in Washington who will address the burning issue of cell phone use and texting while driving.