Texting While Driving Is Just Plain Stupid

The headline was humorous:  “Woman ‘Flips Off’ Cops While Texting and Driving.’”

Greenfield police were following a female driver who was texting instead of paying attention to her driving on Highway 100 near Coldspring Road. When the police were finally able to pull up next to her and tried to flag her down, she got upset and flashed them her middle finger.  Of course, she didn’t realize they were cops and they certainly weren’t laughing.

Sadly, this story doesn’t surprise me in the least. 

We’ve all been driving and have seen how the frustration level rises exponentially when it becomes clear that someone is fooling around with their cell phone, whether it’s texting or dialing.  You realize the significance of what’s happening when you honk your horn to get their attention.  You just might get that same one finger salute that was delivered by the woman in this case because the other driver doesn’t think he or she is doing anything wrong.

Recently, I watched a TV public service campaign where they discussed a text that a young person was trying to respond to which said, “I love you.”  In the meantime, this young driver looks up and he sees a body on his hood.  He had just killed three children. He’s a young man and he says he never wakes up one day without thinking about that tragedy.

If you consider driving down the road, especially at this time of year, and take a moment to look down and not pay attention you could bicycle or jogger in front of you. Mere seconds can now turn into a life and death situation. What’s more, this is an ongoing issue that is not going away. As today’s technology continues to progress at warp speed and our phones and other mobile devices become more enticing and addictive, we will continue face this type of problem.

The problem certainly is not confined to texting.  It’s using the internet and glancing down to the GPS.  I have to constantly remind myself to not pay too much attention as the GPS tells me where I should turn and keep my eyes focused on the road ahead. Divided attention can be a serious culprit leading to accidents that cause serious injury and death.

The bottom line?  It’s a warning none of us can have repeated too often:  don’t engage in texting, dialing, or surfing the Internet while you’re behind the wheel.  Pay attention to the road and traffic ahead of you while being on the lookout for bikes, joggers or perhaps a little child chasing his ball that rolled into the roadway. Don’t let a few tragic seconds haunt you for the rest of your life.

About Attorney Mark Powers
Attorney Mark Powers is a partner at the criminal defense law firm of Huppertz & Powers, S.C. in Waukesha. Previously, Powers served as an Assistant District Attorney with the Waukesha County District Attorney's office and is currently serving as a municipal judge in North Prairie. He focuses in the area of criminal defense, and has handled many cases involving operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, domestic disputes, and drug offenses.

Powers attended Valparaiso University School of Law, where he received his Juris Doctorate. Prior to law school, Mark attended the University of Wisconsin, Lacrosse where he received his bachelor of science in Political Science.

For more information, please call 262.549.5979 or visit www.waukeshacriminalattorneys.com.