Although the following story does not directly relate to a Maryland-based car accident or other motor vehicle mishap, it easily enough could, and on any day of the week. Because of its universal applicability on roadways across America — as well as its instructive value — the details are sketched here.
In a nutshell: On Saturday evening, August 28, a driver in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, went off the road, jumped a curb and hit three teen age boys. She was speeding and texting at the time. One of the boys suffered a gash to his leg, another broke his hip, and the third received serious head injuries.
In a mini-chronicle of our times, the boys’ reaction time was reduced because all three of them were using their cell phones when the car careened off the street and struck them.
Students at the boys’ school were notified of the incident this past week via closed-circuit television; ironically, the school had recently aired a tape on the dangers of driving while texting.
Texting while driving is a primary offense in Louisiana, meaning that police can pull over and ticket a texting driver for that reason alone. The state senator that authored that recent change, Butch Gautreaux, says the accident in St. Charles is precisely the type of incident that the legislation was targeting. “Look at the damage she’s done,” he said. “She sent three kids to the hospital. It’s against the law and people have to stop doing it.”
In Maryland, texting is also illegal, with primary enforcement. Fines range up to $500.00.
Related Resource: www.nola.com “Texting driver injures three St. Charles teenagers, authorities say” August 31, 2010
