DWT: Driving While Texting Illegal?

Back in 2001, New York was the first state to [ban talking on hand-held cell phones] while driving. Six years later, Albany has taken steps to prohibit New Yorkers from sending [text messages when behind the wheel](http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2007/07/17/2007-07-17_textmessage_ban_for_drivers_mulled.html). The Daily News reports that a recent poll of people 18 to 24 years old showed that two out of three admit to sending text messages while driving.

Lending momentum to the motion are the recent [deaths of five cheerleaders] from upstate, who were killed when their SUV swerved into oncoming traffic after passing a car, hit a tractor-trailer and burst into flames. Authorities found multiple calls were made and text messages sent/received minutes before the accident.

Should the proposal become law, those caught texting while driving could be charged up to $100 in fines—the same penalty that currently applies to drivers talking on cell phones. Luckily, there has yet to be a pedestrian struck down in the [crosswalk while using his cellphone]—or at least there hasn't been one that the media has picked up.

Photo courtesy of [moriza on Flickr]