Texting and Driving Finally Against the Law in Georgia
Texting and driving is finally against the law in Georgia, and as an Atlanta automobile accident lawyer practicing all over north Georgia, I am hopeful that the new bills signed into law by our governor on June 4, 2008, will stop the epidemic of Georgia citizens (and visitors), operating their motor vehicles while they text and surf the web. The new laws ban texting and surfing the web by all drivers and ban the use of cell phones by drivers under the age of 18. Violating either law will cost you $150.00 and one point on your license.
The reason I say I am hopeful, is because today when I was driving on I-85 inside the perimeter, I looked over and a women traveling at least 70 miles per hour next to me was texting on her cell phone. Although the laws do not go into effect until July 1, 2010, you would think that with the amount of press that surrounded the governor signing the bills and the reason for the laws, people would immediately change their behavior. We can only hope that after July 1 and after folks start paying fines for violating the laws, drivers will finally stop this deadly behavior.
Unfortunately, the fact that texting and driving is now against the law and has catastrophic consequences will not completely stop drivers from breaking the law causing accidents and terrible injuries and deaths. Laws were passed many years ago outlawing drinking and driving, but that unfortunately did not stop everyone from drinking and driving. Innocent victims will continued to be badly injured and killed at the hands of drivers operating their vehicles while texting and surfing the web. The good news is that we can expect there will be many fewer injuries and deaths with the new laws finally enacted.
