NASCAR driver Colin Braun's car displays the new "no texting" logo on the hood.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Col. Ron Replogle of the Missouri State Highway Patrol announces a new awareness campaign against texting while driving.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol's new "no texting" logo is unveiled.
NASCAR driver Colin Braun starts his car, which has the new "no texting" logo on the hood.
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The Missouri State Highway Patrol announced a new public awareness campaign against texting while driving Friday.
One-quarter of traffic accidents in Missouri are caused, at least in part, by distracted driving, said Col. Ron Replogle, of the Highway Patrol.
The campaign includes a new logo, which will be provided to the public as a window decal. The logo will also be displayed at the Gateway International Raceway on Saturday, on the hood of the No. 16 Freight Ford Fusion race car driven by Colin Braun. Con-way Freight, which sponsors Braun’s car, is also partnering in the campaign.
“Anybody can drive a vehicle if they’re focused on it 100 percent,” Braun said. “As a race car driver I don’t do it while I’m racing, and I don’t do it in my personal car. I know I can’t do it safely, and I’ve got quick reflexes compared to a lot of people on the road.”
Missouri has a partial ban against text messaging while driving, which applies to drivers under the age of 21. The penalty for texting varies by jurisdiction, Replogle said, but would be comparable to a high speeding ticket and includes court fees.
There are other laws on the books that can apply to older drivers that send and read text messages while driving, Replogle said. The campaign advocates all drivers, regardless of age, to refrain from texting while driving.
Roplogle said he expects legislation for a stronger text messaging ban to come up again in the next legislative session. Thirty states, including Illinois, ban text messaging while driving.
“We’re trying to prevent accidents, not hand out tickets,” Replogle said. “An accident can happen in a split second.”
Many drivers have the perception that sending a text message doesn’t take that long and they can do it safely, Replogle said, but a car travels the length of a football field in just four seconds on the highway. He recommended pulling over into a parking lot if a phone call, text message or email can’t wait. Programming a GPS device can also cause distraction, he said.
Studies show that drivers are 23 times more likely to be in an accident while text messaging, said Bill Wynne, vice president of Con-way Freight. The company has had a ban on texting while driving for two years, he said.
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