All states should ban texting while driving

There is a current social issue that is killing many people today: texting and driving. It is not only affecting that one person’s safety, it is also harming the communities and the people who reside in them. Something needs to be done. Over 3,092 deaths were reported last year due to distracted driving, some of it including texting while driving. Now instead of DUI it is TUI. It has become more of an issue than drinking while driving at the moment.

When driving and a car stops in front of you, it takes a unimpaired driver less time to stop. A drunken driver needs 4 feet to stop, a driver reading an email 36 feet, and a driver sending a text 70 feet. There needs to be a change.

Thirty-five states have banned texting and driving, including Illinois. What about the other 15? Every state needs to ban texting and driving. People are dying because of the horrific accidents that occur with texting and driving. People always think that “it’ll never be me.” But one day it might be. That is why texting and driving should be made illegal in all 50 states, not just 35.

If that doesn’t work, I think that if someone is texting and driving and they get in a car accident because of it, they should have jail time and be fined. The amount of jail time and fines they have to pay would be based on how bad the accident is, and the one who would decide that would be the police officer. This is such a horrible crime that there needs to be consequences — otherwise, there won’t be a change.

Aimee Benish

Mundelein