As the state Senate gets set to take up a bill banning texting while driving, concerns are being raised about the bill.
The Senate is expected to vote Tuesday on legislation that would make it illegal to send a text message while operating a vehicle. But Jim Baxter with the National Motorists Association, a driver’s rights group based in Waunakee, wonders why there such a pressing need to act on the issue.
Baxter says existing state laws on inattentive and distracted driving should be enough to punish those who text behind the wheel.
Baxter says it’s absurd to separate an activity such as texting behind the wheel from behaviors that are just as distracting, such as eating, drinking, smoking, or tuning the radio.
Supporters say the bill is needed to make the roads safer and to help educate the public about the specific dangers of texting and driving.
AUDIO: John Colbert reports (:35)
