Texting While Driving Is Legal in Missouri
While 47 states have outlawed texting while driving for all drivers, you might be surprised to learn that Missouri is only one of three states that do not ban texting and driving for all drivers. In fact, Missouri drivers who are 22 years and older, can text, email, browse the internet, post to social media, watch videos, etc. all while driving. Meanwhile, traffic fatalities in Missouri continue to increase. The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) studies reveal that using a cell phone while driving is a key reason for the increasing death toll. “Cell phone related crashes are up 35 percent since 2014″, according to Jon Nelson who is an assistant to the state highway safety and traffic engineer. “It’s one of the fastest growing causes of fatal crashes in Missouri, and like most other contributing factors, it’s completely preventable.”
Distracted driving caused by texting has created a new universe of roadway risk. As distracted drivers take their eyes off the road to text and manipulate their phones, they substantially increase the probability of a violent collision – the type of collisions that cause serious injury or death.
Given the above, we need to make this the year that the Missouri Legislature finally passes a texting-while-driving ban for all drivers. In the past, over many years, Missouri lawmakers have rejected legislative efforts to address this serious public safety concern. Yet it has been proven that laws that prohibit texting while driving make a difference. According to the research of the American Journal of Public Health published in 2019, states that ban texting while driving have seen a significant reduction in the number of emergency department visits following a motor vehicle crash.
All-Driver Texting Ban for Missouri
The first step in curbing distracted driving in Missouri is for the Missouri General Assembly to pass an All-Driver Texting Ban law.
The time is now to protect ourselves, our passengers, and others on the roadway by making it illegal to text and drive in Missouri. Please stand with us on this critical public health issue by signing the Petition.
Missouri citizens can join our cause by going to https://www.AllDriverTextingBanForMo.com.
*Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Association, the National Safety Council, and The Zebra
If you or a loved one have suffered accident injuries in a car accident call Northland Injury Law at 816-400-4878 to speak to a Missouri automobile accident lawyer today for help in recovering the compensation you need. An experienced personal injury attorney can ease some of the burden by engaging in fact-finding, gathering the necessary documentation, and crafting concise and thorough demands for settlement of your claim.
