A statewide law banning texting while driving does not appear to be in the near future for Arizona drivers because of difficulties in enforcement, a state official said.
With responses like “I’m looking up a phone number,” many people have been able to get out of citations, said Alberto Gutier, director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety.
Because of this, the city of Phoenix may remain the only area in Arizona where text messaging while driving can warrant a ticket.
While officials say that texting while driving is a dangerous practice, it is no more dangerous than changing a radio station or freshening makeup behind the wheel, Gutier said.
“We don’t need laws for everything that happens,” he said. “[Texting] is as distracting as pulling out a CD, putting on makeup and eating a cheeseburger.”
Gutier called for more focus on banning distracted driving rather than just prohibiting text messaging while driving.
A 2008 study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute revealed that 80 percent of car crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes are related to distracted driving.
Public Affairs Director for AAA Arizona Linda Gorman said her organization would support any ban on hand-held cell phone use while driving, similar to the current law in California.
“We agree that the evidence is overwhelming in terms of distracted driving incidents,” she said, adding that driving while distracted could be as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
“We will be taking a close look at legislation,” she said.
Michelle Donati, public affairs supervisor for AAA Arizona, said while cell phone use gets the most attention, there are other forms of distracted driving.
“Every year between 4,000 to 8,000 accidents can be attributed to distracted driving,” she said. “Passengers can be distractions as well.”
In Phoenix, drivers can be cited if they are seen text messaging while driving a vehicle or involved in an accident as a result of text messaging.
The state Senate voted down a bill in January that would have fined drivers for using a handheld device or for text messaging while driving.
Gutier said he thinks a ban would be difficult to control. He said that people just need to use common sense while driving.
“Just pull to the side of the road [if you need to use a phone],” he said.
Gutier said the Phoenix ordinance, which has resulted in only 12 citations and no prosecutions since it began in September 2007, is difficult to enforce.
Gutier said most accidents that happen as a result of distracted driving have to do with inexperienced drivers and said driver’s education in schools isn’t as popular as it was in the past.
“If you don’t know what’s going on around you, how can you get there safely?” he said.
While he said any form of distracted driving is dangerous Gutier still called text messaging while driving “one of the most dangerous things people can do.”
Still, Gutier said he doesn’t see a statewide ban happening in the near future.
“I cannot envision us banning cell phone use [while driving],” he said, but instead stressed drivers’ need for common sense. “[It’s about] getting safely from point A to point B.”
Reach the reporter at nathan.meacham@asu.edu.
