Editorial: Penalties for texting while driving should go further

Tuesday, February, 19, 2013; 10:01 PM | 4 | | Print

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While the Virginia Senate approving a bill increasing fines for texting while driving from $20 to $250 for first offenses and from $50 to $500 for following infractions is a good first step in curbing texting while driving, more action must be taken to resolve the problem.

The increased fines are a good step forward, but the DMV point system should be amended to add points to violators’ licenses. The first offense should be a minimum point penalty, while recurring offenses should elicit a harsher response, similar to that of reckless driving offenses.

In addition, Virginia officials should implement policies to subdue texting-while-driving habits. The driver education program should emphasize the danger of texting while driving, such as a new curriculum or training course experiences that allow students to recognize how drastically texting affects driving.

Texting while driving remains a major problem in traffic safety, but while the new bill is as step in the right direction, more is needed to preempt the dangers of texting while driving.

A version of this article appeared in the Feb 20 issue of the Collegiate Times.

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Anonymous | # February 20, 2013 @ 3:08 AM — Flag Comment

Nothing like a few short paragraphs or short sentences from CT staff or the Editorial Board to know what really matters /s

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Escovedo | # March 29, 2013 @ 4:05 AM — Flag Comment

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