On June 17 of this year, Governor Rick Perry vetoed a bill that would ban text messaging for all drivers across the state. Although texting while driving remains legal for adults, the rules are different for underage drivers, who are forbidden from using any wireless communication devices while behind the wheel.
To complicate matters, many of the laws surrounding distracted driving are enforced by individual cities rather than the state. Here is a short guide to Texas cell phone and texting bans:
- Learners permit holders may not use hand-held cell phones in their first six months of driving
- School bus drivers may not use cell phones while children are on-board
- Drivers are not permitted to use hand-held devices while in school crossing zones.
- Several cities have enacted local distracted driving laws, including Dallas, San Antonio, Galveston, El Paso, Missouri City, Austin, Stephenville and Amarillo.
- As of January 14, the city of Galveston has banned text messaging while driving. Any driver caught texting within city limits could face a fine up to $500.
As
Houston accident lawyers, we see a multitude of traffic violations and accidents that were not intentional - oftentimes a distracted driver is not aware that they are breaking the law, similar to how most drivers do not intend to get in an accident. This is no excuse though! Drivers who break the law (willingly or not), who are negligent, and who cause an accident by driving unsafely need to pay for the damages that they have caused you. The laws may vary from city to city, but the damage done to you is all the same.
If you have been injured in a Houston car accident, consider calling V&B Accident Injury Lawyers today at (877) 724-7800 for a free consultation. You can also order our FREE book,
The Insider's Guide to Winning Your Texas Car Accident Case.
Category: Car Accidents
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