Texas Lawmakers Mull Ban On Texting While Driving
AUSTIN (AP/KRLD) - Members of the state House of Representatives have come together to create legislation to institute a statewide ban on texting while driving.
The House Transportation Committee heard testimony Wednesday from supporters of the bill. The hearing was delayed after former House Speaker Tom Craddick collapsed while testifying. Aides say he quickly regained consciousness.
The family of Alex Brown, a West Texas girl who died in a one-car accident while she was texting in 2009, warned of the dangers of texting and driving at a Capitol news conference.
"You're 23 times more likely to have a wreck, and it doesn't matter if you're a new driver or an experienced driver," said Alex's mother Jeannie Brown.
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It's already against the law to use a cell phone in a school zone in Texas. Drivers under the age of 18 can't use a phone at all while driving.
Advocates of the legislation say it is necessary to continue making roadways safer for everyone.
Brown and her husband still have Alex's smashed truck and they take it to high schools across the state, hoping to convince kids that texting and driving isn't worth it.
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