mnewton@thesunnews.com
Im drivn rgt now. Wat r u doin?
Some local residents and legislators are supportive of a push in national legislation - which debuted last week - that would make this kind of text illegal.
"I'm certainly in favor of it," said Rep. Vida Miller, D-Pawleys Island. "That's like using a typewriter while driving, and it's a very, very dangerous thing to do. I just don't see how anybody can concentrate on driving while text messaging. I have nothing against text messaging, just not while you're driving."
The legislation, pushed by Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., would require states to ban texting or e-mailing while operating a moving vehicle or lose 25 percent of their annual federal highway funding.
As a first step, President Obama signed an executive order last week banning all federal workers from texting while driving on government business, driving government vehicles or using government equipment.
Rachana Barai of Myrtle Beach said people should be able to talk on the phone, but not text.
"Your one hand is on the keyboard and the other is on the steering wheel," she said. "You can be a very skilled driver, but you tend to make mistakes when you're texting."
Paul Jankowiak of Myrtle Beach said he's all for the texting ban.
"I so often see people just multitasking in a vehicle, and it's the worst place to multitask," he said. "So many people don't know what that 2,000- to 3,000-pound vehicle can do in a nanosecond if you're not paying attention."
South Carolina does not have a law banning texting while driving, but 18 states - including North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee and Arkansas - have already passed laws making texting while driving illegal, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Myrtle Beach police Capt. David Knipes said texting while driving is a problem.
"You just ride down the street and you'd see it. There's no law against it, so there's not a whole lot we can do at this time," he said. "I'm sure it has caused accidents, but I have no telling exactly how many."
Rep. Carl Anderson, D-Georgetown, said there's been a mention of passing a state law, but that many legislators were waiting to see what would happen on a national level.
"I don't do a lot of texting while driving unless someone [else] is driving, but I do answer my phone, but I try to keep it to a limit," he said. "Some people can control themselves, but when we talk about young people, they get all geared up and they get deep into the conversation and they can't concentrate on the road. They're all into it and their minds are there, too, and a lot of times, they're not paying attention to the road."
The U.S. Department of Transportation reported that 5,870 people were killed and 515,000 were injured last year in crashes connected to driver distraction, often involving mobile devices or cell phones.
Driver distraction was involved in 16 percent of all fatal crashes in 2008 and was more prevalent among young drivers, according to the Transportation Department.
Knipes said he will need some more details about the legislation before he decides on its effectiveness.
If it is passed as a primary reason for law enforcement to pull drivers over, that would be much more beneficial than a secondary reason, which could only be considered after a person was pulled over for another offense, he said.
"Obviously, anything that you can do to focus the driver's attention on the road is a good thing," Knipes said. "Obviously, if you're texting while you're driving, you're not paying proper attention to the road like you should be."
Even people who admit to doing the act say they support the legislation.
"It's hard because I'm guilty of it, but I understand the dangers. I think they should ban it," said Amanda Doyle of Socastee. "It's convenient, but it would make the roads a little bit safer."
Megan Netemeyer of Myrtle Beach called texting while driving "very dangerous."
"I do it and I find myself in sticky situations. I think it should be banned," she said. "I'll be the first person to buy one of those things that you just stick your phone down in and you can talk through your car."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Contact MONIQUE NEWTON at 626-0310.
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