Texting while driving can now be called Reckless Driving? (Hampton: 2013, law)

[LilyLady]

Effective July 1

Using cellphones behind wheel may be reckless driving | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com


Your thoughts? Can you think of any situations where texting while driving can be done safely?

[Bigfoot424]

Under Va's Reckless Driving General section police officers have always been able to cite drivers with Reckless if using a cell phone causes them to drive in a reckless manner. The part in bold, which has always been there, has allowed this.

§ 46.2-852 Reckless Driving; General Rule

Irrespective of the maximum speeds permitted by law, any person who drives a vehicle on any highway recklessly or at a speed or in a manner so as to endanger the life, limb, or property of any person shall be guilty of reckless driving.

[LilyLady]

I guess I worded my question improperly.

What I was trying to ask for was thoughts on the changes in the law whereas before, texting while driving was considered a secondary offense and a driver normally could not be pulled over solely on being observed texting and driving at the same time. Now it is no longer a secondary offense. A driver can possibly be pulled over after being observed texting while driving and can be cited for the offense. At a considerably higher fine than when it was a secondary offense.

[Bigfoot424]

I have no problems with this.

[LilyLady]

Even though I have family members who use their phones while driving (one of them even texts and drives) I want them to remain family members for the rest of my lifetime. I am grateful that none of them have either been hurt or caused an accident, but I wish this law had been in effect long before now. At least the new one will have some teeth in it.

[tgbwc]

I don't text. My wife and I share a cell phone (in reality she has it and I borrow it). The problem I have with this law is that the law is focusing on the "distraction du jour". Why is texting while driving a primary offense, but not tying your shoe, playing a game on an iPad, putting on make-up, reading a book...? How are any of these things less distracting than texting? Are lawmakers going to put individual laws on the books to address each one? No.

[Bigfoot424]

Originally Posted by tgbwc

I don't text. My wife and I share a cell phone (in reality she has it and I borrow it). The problem I have with this law is that the law is focusing on the "distraction du jour". Why is texting while driving a primary offense, but not tying your shoe, playing a game on an iPad, putting on make-up, reading a book...? How are any of these things less distracting than texting? Are lawmakers going to put individual laws on the books to address each one? No.

Like I said. Reckless Driving (General Section) is pretty broad to pretty much cover anything. "Driving as to endanger the life, limb or property of any person." So if an officer sees you swerving and pulls you over and you were tying your shoes you can be cited for RD.

[tgbwc]

Originally Posted by Bigfoot424

Like I said. Reckless Driving (General Section) is pretty broad to pretty much cover anything. "Driving as to endanger the life, limb or property of any person." So if an officer sees you swerving and pulls you over and you were tying your shoes you can be cited for RD.

Right. So why a specific law for texting if it's already covered?
Seems like over legislation.

[Bigfoot424]

Originally Posted by tgbwc

Right. So why a specific law for texting if it's already covered?
Seems like over legislation.

It's been proven that texting can be even more dangerous than driving while drunk. With someone texting an officer can make that stop and cite them BEFORE the moron causes a crash. Why wait until they do something dumb?

[tgbwc]

Originally Posted by Bigfoot424

It's been proven that texting can be even more dangerous than driving while drunk. With someone texting an officer can make that stop and cite them BEFORE the moron causes a crash. Why wait until they do something dumb?

I'm not disagreeing that its dangerous. So I can play a game on a Nintendo DS or read a book while driving as long as I'm driving well. Heck, I guess I can even respond to threads on CD. How are these things any less dangerous than texting? Is there going to be a separate law for each example? Why single out one distraction?