 "Photo: Photo Illustration by Sara Manco")
A student swerved through the median of the interstate while texting. Lee Rathbun, sophomore in political science, was fortunate enough to catch himself before he made it to oncoming traffic, he said.
“I tend to drive late at night, so it keeps me awake sometimes to have conversations,” Rathbun said.
A recent report from the National Center for Children in Poverty indicates half of adolescent drivers text while driving. According to research in the report, a person texting while driving is 23 times more likely to be in a collision.
“I don’t find those results surprising,” said Capt. Tim Hegarty of the Riley County Police Department.
The report comes at a time when the city of Manhattan is examining options regarding a cellular device ban. It is unclear at this point whether the ban will be limited to text messaging or all cellular device uses.
“The problem is not about cell phones,” Hegarty said. “It’s about divided attention. If someone asked if it’s any worse than fiddling with the radio, the answer is ‘no.’”
Hegarty said another danger that must be taken into consideration is the inexperience of drivers. Texting is popular with younger age groups, which have less experience on the road.
“It makes the situation a little more dangerous,” he said.
However, Hegarty said he was uncertain whether there had been a significant increase in accidents related to text messaging. That would take a large amount of research, he said.
Whether a ban on texting is implemented or not, Hegarty said enforcement tactics will most likely not change.
“It presents enforcement difficulties,” he said. “We’re dealing with enough problems as it is.”
If texting is made a primary offense, law enforcement officials would be able to stop drivers for texting. Alternatively, making texting while driving a secondary offense would allow people to receive citations for inattentive driving if they are pulled over for another reason and found to be texting.
“We’re not going to go out and look for texting,” Hegarty said. “It probably wouldn’t be top priority,”
Hegarty said he personally was struck by a driver who was texting and understands the problems presented by the widespread use of texting while driving.
“It’s about as dangerous as talking on your phone,” said Anikka Ahmed, graduate student in grain science and industry.
She said she would not support a ban on texting while driving unless it also focused on voice communications.
“I think it definitely poises more risks than talking on a cellphone,” said Rachel Helmke, sophomore in psychology.
Helmke said she supports a ban on texting, but would like it to be limited to just that.
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