Ban on Texting While Driving in Massachusetts

By Cam Knights

Many young adults see the ban of texting while driving in Massachusetts as a stereotype rather than a safety precaution.

“I think it crosses the line, definitely,” said Tom McKenney, 21. “Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s safe and better for everyone but the way they went about it by constantly showing kids doing the texting and causing the accidents is ridiculous.”

This feeling is shared by other young adults with the recent Massachusetts ban on texting when driving and cell phone use by people under the age of 18 while driving.

“Yes I think it is safe, that’s a given but, I never was a big fan of texting and driving, I hate texting in the first place. My mom is the biggest offender in my family but yet their showing teens and young adults in television ad’s crashing their cars with a cell phone in their hands. Everyone does it or has done it so don’t put the blame on the younger population,” said Pat Brady, 21.

Brady may have a statistically proven point.

According to a Pew Research Report, 47 percent of adults who use text messaging, have admitted to reading or sending a text while driving compared to teenagers 16-17 years old, who also use texting but only 36 percent of them have reported using texting while driving.

These numbers, when being looked at for the general population, break down into 27 percent of adults have texted while driving compared to 26 percent of teenagers, not a major difference.

Kathy Dinner, 55, of Hudson, Mass. said she believes adults are major offenders of texting while driving.

“I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I drive by a middle aged man or woman and their looking down at their lap and you can see the reflection of the cell phone light on their window. I honestly think it is wrong that kids were used as the scapegoat but also, you have to keep in mind that by accusing 16 and 17 year old kids, Government gets the majority of the vote to change the law because those kids can’t vote. If they used adults in their advertisements, I bet you it wouldn’t even be a law right now just out of the stubbornness of people not willing to vote for it,” said Dinner.

Dinner may have raised a valid point. By using the stereotype of kid’s texting all the time, the government seemed to gain popularity amongst adults because most parents don’t want their children “texting while driving,” according to Per Research Report.

“I think it was the right thing to do and if they had to use kids or young adults to get it passed, that’s fine by me, whatever works to keep the roads safe,” said Gabe Balzano-Brookes, 21.

Some teenagers might disagree with Balzano-Brookes.

“In the long run, it is not just about the kids but also the adults too,” said Karl Sery, a sixteen year old high school student. “More and more adults are becoming common offenders of texting while driving so it isn’t right to put the focus on the kids.”

Hudson Police Officer Jesse Hayden believes the ban is aimed at teens because they are more technological savvy and don’t quite have the experience behind the wheel that adults do.

“Adult’s are considered adults because they are older and wiser, especially when it comes to operating a motor vehicle. Teen’s, even once they get their license, will still be learning until their at least in their late 20’s,” said Hayden. “When it comes down to it, we have been called in on more accidents due to teenager’s texting while driving, than we have been with adults.”