Texting Ban Bill Headed To House Floor

A statewide ban on texting while driving is facing surprisingly few road bumps as it works its way through the House.

The full education and public works committee passed the bill Thursday almost unanimously, aside from one abstention.

The bill’s sponsor Rep. Don Bowen, R-Anderson, said he initially thought it would face more opposition in subcommittee and committee, but there were no objections, only questions about enforcement.

An amendment clarified that texting or typing on a phone are not allowed while on any roadway, meaning texting at stop signs and lights would be prohibited.

Some form of a texting ban has been introduced at the Statehouse for several years, and last year after the Senate passed a version, but with stripped down penalties.

Under Bowen’s bill, drivers caught texting could get a $100 fine, a $25 charge for the Trauma Care fund and two points on their license. If someone is injured that fine could jump to $2,500 to $5,000 and mandatory prison time for 30 days to five years. If someone dies as the result of a distracted driver sending or receiving text messages it’s a felony charge and if convicted they could face a $5,000 to $10,000 fine and one to 10 years in prison.

Bowen said he thinks the bill stands a much better chance of passing both the House and Senate this time because more people understand just dangerous the distraction of texting can be.

A 2009 Car and Driver study showed that texting or reading messages gave drivers worse reaction times than if they were intoxicated.

That’s why Bowen said stiff penalties are key to getting people to stop, just as laws crack down on drunken drivers.

“They’re not going to stop it on their own, we’re not going to be able to educate them that you shouldn’t do this, but if we hit them in their pocket and with the possibility of jail time I think it will make them aware that what they’re doing shouldn’t be done on the roadways.”

Also, in December the National Transportation Safety Board recommended a ban on all electronics for drivers, after an investigation found that a Missouri crash that killed two people and injured 38 in 2010 was caused by a driver who was texting.

South Carolina is one of only eight states without any texting ban, though police are already enforcing a federal ban that prevents commercial truck drivers from using electronics that aren’t hands-free.

Across the state cities including Clemson, West Union, Columbia, Camden and Sumter have already passed local ordinances banning drivers from texting.

This statewide ban has support from the South Carolina Teachers Association, the State Transport Police and the SC Children’s Trust.