More States Targeting Distracted Driving

States are continuing to crack down on texting and driving, with 23 debating legislation to ban the practice that 19 states already prohibit, USA Today reported Monday.

Almost 200 bills are pending state and local legislatures over the issue, the paper reported, citing the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood earlier this month announced the creation of FocusDriven, an organization dedicated to fighting distracted driving.

LaHood has pushed for stricter laws around the issue, with DOT hosting a workshop on distracted driving in September. (Click here for previous story.)

DOT said 5,870 people — 16% of all highway fatalities — died in distracted-driving crashes and 515,000 were injured in 2008, USA Today said.

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) has introduced federal legislation to ban texting or e-mailing while driving, and states that do not go along would risk losing 25% of their federal highway funding, the paper reported.

By Transport Topics

(Click here for previous coverage.)