Could a New Austin Hands-Free Law Make Its Way to Lubbock? Maybe!

Is a statewide, hands-free cell phone law the next step to eliminate distracted driving and save lives, or should this issue be addressed one city at a time?

Following the 'no texting while driving' law that began in Texas Sept. 1, 2017, this is the new question being proposed and considered now, according to Everything Lubbock. Austin has a city ordinance in effect that bans use of a phone for anything other than an emergency -- an offense that's punishable by a $500 fine. The only allowable cell phone use is voice-activated or car push-to-talk features.

The proposal is to take this ordinance statewide to avoid confusion for drivers. But if Austin has already taken this on as a city, have they set the tone to approach this law one city at a time?

You can read more about the argument to take this state wide by following this link. Some say drinking and eating while driving is more of a distraction. Obviously, having passengers can be distracting as well. How much can -- or should -- such a law control?

Maybe we simply need a revised description of responsible driving in our laws, which includes a review of all types of distractions and puts the responsibility on the driver to be focused on driving?

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