Of Texting and Driving, Maine’s Regulations, and frightening PSAs.

Ah, PSAs- those advertisements meant to warn you about/against an epidemic- be it illness or social problem-- in hopes of saving your life. While created to raise awareness in the hopes of benefiting public interest, many- not all, but a lot- of PSAs don’t rile the public up enough to make a major change: much like a campaign ad! .~.

BUT- I’m digressing. This PSA was released in the UK in 2009 to warn of the dangers of texting and driving. This visually striking ad chronicles a girl texting her friend about a boy and what occurs while her eyes are off the road. It is purportedly based off of an actual incident and caused uproars in British High Schools- as it was meant to! WARNING: NOT FOR THE SQUEAMISH OR YOUNG CHILDREN. (Yes- it’s that graphic- and convincing). Recommended for all others to watch.

As of late, I have been researching Maine’s driving laws in regards to cell phone usage. I have found two immediate bills:

1.) “Senate Bill 15” AKA the "Failure to Maintain Control of a Motor Vehicle Law”, was signed by the Governor John Baldacci in June 2009. “According to the new law, a driver fails to maintain control of a vehicle if they are engaging in activities that are not necessary to the operation of the vehicle, or that impair the ability of the person to safely operate the vehicle.”

It also institutes a 3-step graduated license system:

• Learner’s Permit
• Intermediate License
• Unrestricted license

Driver’s ed. can be started at the age of 14 and 9 months. After its completion, at the minimum age of 15, a teen may obtain their learner’s permit. A permit is to be held for 6 months at which point the driver can receive their intermediate license. The intermediate license is also held for 6 months. At the age of 16 an unrestricted license may be obtained.

2.) “LD 1439” AKA “An Act to Protect Young Drivers and Passengers” prohibits the use of a cell phone by drivers with a learner’s permit and an intermediate driver’s license. This includes hands-free devices.

Another bill entitled “HP 143” was enacted in 2007, but then voted down earlier this year. It prohibited a minor from using a cell or other electronic device (games, e-mail, and texting) while driving, regardless by which license is held by the driver.

I strongly believe that the government should not get involved in the regulation of texting and driving more than it already has. That’s what our communities are for. Local communities should take the initiative to speak out against texting and driving. And PSAs like the one from the UK should be created and seen and talked about more often.