Texting while driving

There are no fewer then six proposed "texting while driving" bans working their way through the Ohio legislature

You never know when the next text message is coming. Perhaps the urge is there to take a look at the text when you're behind the wheel. As many people know, there is a big-time push across the country and close to home to get all drivers, especially novice and younger drivers, to put down the phone and focus on the road before it's too late.

Diana Jordan of Norwalk, Ohio, is still trying to come to grips about her 19-year-old son Todd. She lost him less then two months ago.

It was the night of September 8 when Todd Jordan was coming around a curve when somehow he lost control and crashed into a pole. His cell phone flew through the windshield and ended up on the ground, just moments before Todd had received a text message.

"I don't even know if he opened it up to read it. He may have just looked down to see who it was from. That was just enough where the curve went that way and he went straight into the pole. "

Diana wanted to believe Todd wasn't actually texting.

"He never answered a text message while driving. I talked with many of his friends and they said Todd never texted and drove."

Life Flight was on the scene for about 15 minutes. The ER doctor came out and said they weren't going to fly him because he was gone.

Shortly after our interview Diana heard from police. The crash report indicated Todd had been actively texting in the minutes leading up the crash. Now the Norwalk woman is on a mission to tell everyone about the deadly danger she says claimed her son's life.

"As hard as it is going to be to do, I think I have to do that for Todd. I don't want him to have died for nothing."

Stories like Todd Jordan's play out across the country, prompting lawmakers to put texting bans on the fast track. Eighteen states have already banned texting for all drivers. Nine others are making it illegal for teens to text behind the wheel. Bans are also proposed in Ohio and Michigan.

A lieutenant with the Ohio State Highway Patrol says whatever it takes. "Whether that's education, whether it's through enforcement or through PSA's, commercials, we just don't want people to do it. We don't want to have to clean it up after the fact".

Mark Herr is a parent and assistant Lucas County prosecutor. Herr doesn't think taking away the phone is the answer. "You have it for emergencies. If folks have car problems, police are contacted."

Right now there are no fewer then six proposed "texting while driving" bans working their way through the Ohio legislature. 13abc talked with a spokesperson for the ACLU of Ohio. He said they're not taking this up because, in his words, "it's not a civil liberties or a free speech issue."

You'll get some citizens and lawmakers who do believe it's common sense and we don't need another law to regulate common sense. But Ford Motor Company, AAA and Verizon Wireless all endorse a ban of one kind or another. Right now there's every indication a ban of some sort will eventually become law here in Ohio.

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