Texting or emailing while driving is, and should be, illegal. On July 1, 2010, our state became the 14th state in the United States to make texting or emailing while driving an offense. In MCL 257.602b, it states that it is a civil infraction. As a civil infraction, if someone commits homicide while breaking the law, they are subject to possible felony convictions.
The law as it is in our jurisdiction is appropriate. Texting/emailing or typing on a two-way communication device, as it is written in the law, while driving does cause distraction from driving which could result in an accident. As for who creates the law, the law for this cannot be defined federally. (See New York v. United States, 1992.) States are responsible for setting standards for their own transit systems, but the Federal Government may place monetary disincentives on states to continue without texting laws.
From a public health perspective, there are benefits to have strong, well publicized, anti-texting laws. It is a good idea to have them and it creates a benefit for the citizens while not providing a significant economic cost. The benefits come from citizens lives being at less risk every time they walk out their door (or even when they don't).
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