Dish It to Downing: There Are Always Consequences

A viewer contacted me the other day about a new state law that takes effect on September first than bans the use of cells phones and other electronic devices in school zones.

I told him that I knew a lot of local cities were looking at such bans and that the Texas Legislature had passed a bill addressing the problem, but I hadn’t heard if it had been signed into law by the governor. Obviously, it had and with little or no media coverage.

Here is what it does: it bans the use of cell phones and other electronic communication devices in school zones during times those school zones are active. It doesn’t ban their use outside of those times. Nor does it block the driver from using them when the car is stopped. You just can't be driving and talking at the same time. That means that from about 7:15 to 8:30 each morning and from about 2:15 to 3:30 in the afternoon, you can’t be on your cell phone, I-phone, blackberry, or any other communication device talking, testing, playing games, or anything else when you are driving through a school zone.

He asked me what I thought of that law and after giving it some thought it occurred to me that it’s a law that is probably needed, unfortunately, to protect us from ourselves.

It amazes me that people think driving is some kind of constitutionally guaranteed right in this country. It’s not. It’s a privilege and like all privileges, it can be taken away if you show you can’t handle the freedom of having it. That was one of the first things I learned as a child and even more so as a teenager. It’s all about actions and consequences, responsibility and irresponsibility. Unlike being grounded for a month, though, we are seeing increasing signs that people just don’t think before they act. I have to tell you, most of the people I see on cell phones while they are driving are adults: not teenagers, and adults should know better. My daughter is all grown-up now and has a night job. She calls me each night, usually on the way home from work, and I nearly always lovingly scold her about her talking on a cell phone while she is driving. It was the first lesson I ever gave her in learning to drive and a rule she knows by heart because she had to repeat it to me so many times. Here’s the rule: THIS IS A MOTOR VEHICLE AND IT CAN BRING YOU LOTS OF FREEDOM AND ENJOYMENT. IT CAN ALSO KILL YOU – OR SOMEONE ELSE -- WHEN IT IS NOT USED PROPERLY. When you are driving, you are responsible for the safe operation of your caR and the safety of everyone that is in it. Driving safely is your job and it is your only job. It is more important than applying make-up, talking on a cell phone, talking with other passengers, tuning the radio, changing CDs, or thinking about anything other than safety.

Okay, maybe that was a little harsh for the first lesson, but it is more of a lesson than most people have apparently gotten.

I was painfully reminded of that earlier this week when a man riding on the hood of a pick-up truck lost his balance, fell forward, and was run over and killed. It was a senseless loss of life and an accident that could have – and should have - been prevented. He was 37-years old and should have known better. The driver of the truck was 48-year old and will probably stand trial for intoxicated manslaughter. He certainly should have known better. This accident didn’t happen on some deserted dirt road. It took place on one of Abilene’s busiest streets and at night when visibility of marginal at best. The victim became the 10th traffic fatality of the year here in Abilene and the 7th in an accident involving alcohol. With more than 300 drunk driving arrests already this year, Abilene is well on its way to setting a new record for DWI arrests.

Here’s the thing: police will be the first to tell you that there are not more drunk drivers out there; the police are just doing a better job of catching them and getting them off the road. It’s about time, too. Several years ago a drunk behind the wheel of a pick-up truck lost control of his vehicle, crossed a raised median and slammed into the front of KRBC. Had that happened during working hours, it would have killed the person sitting at her desk doing her job. So, like the new law or not, it's probably necessary, although I'm really perplexed as to why. It seems so simple: when you drive through a working school zone, hang up the phone, turn off the I-phone (or at least put the call on hold), stop “texting” and pay attention to your driving. People are taking chances these days with little thought of the consequences. But understand: there are consequences. There always are.



Downing Bolls