City expected to ban driving while texting

You know instead of law this should be common sense, yes? Sun-Times:

Distracted driving has come a long way in the 95 years since the invention of windshield wipers prompted fears that drivers would be “hypnotized” by the back-and-forth motion.

Now drivers send text messages and surf the Internet with impunity while behind the wheel. Last year, five New York teenagers were killed in a fiery crash that involved a texting driver.

On Wednesday, a Chicago City Council committee put its foot down, taking steps to prohibit drivers from texting while driving and ordering a blitzkrieg of tickets against those who defy the proposed ban.

Law enforcement personnel and operators of emergency vehicles would be exempt. All other drivers would be prohibited from texting and surfing, except when the vehicle was in a “stationary, parked position and not in gear.” Violators would face a $75 fine for each offense, or $200 if it involves a crash.

Ald. Edward M. Burke (14th) pushed through the crackdown three years after striking out in his attempt to add all forms of distracted driving to Chicago’s ban on the use of cell phones without a hands-free device.

“I know the arguments against this — that we shouldn’t be a nanny state, that we shouldn’t be a nanny city, that people should be permitted to have some freedom of choice,” said Burke, who also wanted to ban trans fats and impose mandatory calorie counts.

“But I do believe that, just like the seatbelt law proved to be a great boon to safety, the anti-texting ordinance and the anti-cell phone use ordinance can help to increase the safety of people [who] are operating motor vehicles in the city of Chicago.”