Texting and driving is considered an ever growing danger in the world of distracted driving. In 2014, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that 18 percent of injury crashes and 16 percent of all police-reported motor vehicle traffic crashes were reported as distraction-affected crashes. There were 3,179 people killed and an additional 431,000 people wounded in crashes caused by distracted driving. Given the statistic that 660,000 drivers are using or manipulating electronic deviceswhile driving at any given daylight moment across America, it’s no wonder that penalties for texting and driving are a hot topic of state legislatures getting underway across the country. Colorado is among those considering higher penalties. The current fine of $50 could jump to $500 if a Senate bill is passed. Over 900 adult drivers have been convicted of texting and driving in Colorado in the last two years and the Colorado Department of Transportation reports that over 10 percent of fatal crashes involve distracted drivers. The penalty jump is aimed at drawing attention to the seriousness of texting and driving and convince citizens to stop the dangerous practice of manipulating electronic devices while driving.
