Texting Drivers in North Carolina: Prepare to be Busted

As many drivers know, texting and driving is illegal in North Carolina. Distracted driving causes thousands of injuries and deaths each year, and this law is meant to curb those incidents.

You may have heard that you can only be pulled over for texting and driving if you are seen by an officer to be doing such. For many alert drivers, simply keeping an eye on the road for patrol cars is enough to keep them from getting busted. No longer.

Troopers in North Carolina are stepping up their game. Plain-clothesed police officers have taken to riding the streets in North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) to spot testing drivers.

Here’s what happens: A police officer in an NCDOT vehicle spots a driver texting. The officer radios to another officer in an unmarked vehicle further down the road. That officer, in turn, pulls over the offending driver and issues a ticket.

“We’re thinking outside the box and stepping up our game on the highways,” says 1st Sgt. Brett Snotherly.

Drivers may see this as a violation of their freedom of sorts or even entrapment, but this creative policing is simply meant to help save lives.

Texting and Driving Stats

According to Texting and Driving Safety there are statistics that every driver should be aware of.

• In 2011, 1.3 million crashes in the United States were attributed to cell phones
• At a minimum, your attention is taken away from the road for 5 seconds to read or respond to a text
• At 55 mph, taking your eyes away from the road for 5 seconds means that you covered the distance of a football field blindly
• You are 23 times more likely to be involved in a vehicle collision when texting
• 18-20 year old respondents admitted to texting or talking at the time of an accident at a rate of 13%

These are certainly not all of the statistics, but they are enough to be eye opening. Currently, 39 states plus D.C., including North Carolina, prohibit texting and driving. Additionally, 32 states plus D.C. prohibit new drivers from any cell phone use while driving.

Distracted driving is responsible for deaths each year. Even a single death is one too many. While some accidents are unavoidable, any that is caused by cell phone use, including texting, is 100% senseless.

If you have been injured in an automobile accident, contact the experienced vehicle collision attorneys at Auger & Auger as soon as possible. Each member of our knowledgeable team is here to ensure that you get the protection and compensation you deserve.

You have rights that you may be unaware of. First consultations are always free when you call our office. There is no reason to delay—call us now and let us review your case!