Have you ever stopped at a traffic light and just noticed how many of the right of way drivers are on their cell phones? Incredible! Have you actually been driving on the highway in town and noticed how many of your driving neighbors are busy talking to someone not in their vehicle? Can you count this high without one of those high priced calculators in hand?

If this growing trend doesn’t scare you, then you must like living on the edge of danger.

Text Messaging Ban Begins July 1, 2009

Beginning July 1st, 2009 text messaging was banned for all drivers under the rules set in Senate Bill 393. The new text messaging laws makes it a Class C misdemeanor offense to text while:"Using a hand held mobile telephone or a hand held personal digital assistant to transmit or read a written message while such vehicle is in motion" A violation of this law will cost up to $50 plus court costs not to exceed $10.

Tennessee Driving and Hands-Free Cell Phone Legislation

Tennessee has two specific laws dealing with cell phone use while driving. The first law is Senate Bill 36 that was signed by the Governor of Tennessee in 2005. The bill prohibits drivers with a learner’s permit or an intermediate license from using a mobile telephone while operating a motor vehicle. If a driver with a permit or intermediate license is caught driving while using a cell-phone they will be fined $100 and may receive delayed eligibility for their next license type. This law does not permit the use of a hands-free device

The other law dealing with cell-phone use while driving is found in Public Chapter 180 and references Senate bill 208 and House Bill 564. This law was signed by the Governor of Tennessee in 2003 and prohibits the driver of a school bus from using a cell-phone while the bus is in motion and transporting children. There are exceptions for emergency use and to communicate with central dispatch or the School transportation department. A violation of this cell-phone law is $50.

So if Tennessee Law deems that a juvenile driver or a school bus operator cannot use cell phones while driving a vehicle, then what makes the rest of us so special?

EMS is starting to embrace injury and illness prevention programs (e.g., child car seats, bicycle safety helmets, drunk driving). We need to embark upon a campaign to reduce the growing carnage from cell phone distractions while driving—especially among teenagers. This is especially true for text messaging while driving. These behaviors are as risky as drunk driving and just as lethal.

So exactly who are you talking to?