Did you hear about this law that goes into effect today here in Missouri?
As of today, people 21 years of age and younger can't text on their phones while driving.
I can hardly believe the stupidity of this, for at least three reasons.
To begin, why should it be okay for a 30 or 40 or any-year-old to be able to "text while driving" which, apparently, with this law, it is?
Does that make sense?
It seems the lawmakers are saying that, if you're older, you have the capacity to text on your phone, but not those young kids.
Was this a giveaway to the phone companies or an attempt to not trample on First Amendment rights or what?
Whatever it was, it makes no sense.
Secondly, the blatant discrimination of this seems like it would doom the law right out of the gate.
Finally, The Kansas City Star poses a good question:
"But just how anyone is going to stop you has police scratching their heads. How will anyone know your age, let alone know for sure whether you are texting or calling?"
I mean really, how do you police a thing like this?
I hope no one down in Jefferson City thinks they did good work on this one.
Someone explain this to me.
I don't think it's explicable.
Link to story:
http://www.kansascity.com/637/story/1409899.html
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2 comments:
It's easier to explain than it is to justify. The under 21 crowd already faces a higher degree of regulation of their behavior. It's a relatively small number of drivers (16-20), with minimal political power. Only half of them can vote, and most who can, don't. People associate this age group with being worse drivers so telling them not to text is like my mom telling me I couldn't listen to the radio while driving at 16.
The legislation has the appearance of a common sense approach to limiting danger on the road and it only effects a politically weak segment of the population (and they'll all grow out of it anyway).
But you are correct. All the studies I've seen have dealt with the dangers of texting while driving and make no effort to establish that it's more dangerous in the hands of the young. Sensible legislation would not be aimed at just those drivers.
Good points and information, Sophia. Thanks for that.
It seems so painfully obvious that this would have made a lot more sense if they'd have just said "no texting while driving", you know?
Oh, well. No one said legislators or legislation had to make sense, right?
Have a great weekend.
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