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To curb texting & driving, cops opt for warning
By Elise Franco
CANFIELD
A citywide ban on texting while driving wasn’t meant to give officers the power to go on a ticket-writing free-for-all, said Scott Weamer, assistant police chief.
Canfield officers have written zero citations for texting while driving in the seven months since the ordinance was approved. He said about a dozen drivers were pulled over and issued warnings.
Weamer said the ordinance, approved by city council and effective effect Oct. 1, 2010, is meant to be used as an educational tool to show drivers why texting while behind the wheel is dangerous.
“Our focus, when we drafted the ordinance, wasn’t about writing tickets. It was about education and showing that distracted driving causes accidents,” he said.
“We have a couple of options in terms of enforcement determined by what’s going to do the job,” he said.
Weamer said it is a primary offense, so officers can pull a driver over solely for texting, but he said they prefer to pair it with another traffic offense that distinctly shows distracted driving, such as speeding, swerving or driving left of center.
“We’ll stop the driver and ask if they have a legal reason why they’re committing the violation,” he said. “To issue a citation is pretty much a judgment call.”
The issue of texting while driving is one that’s close to Tina Yanssens of Columbiana, whose father, Dave Muslovski, was killed June 17, 2010, as he walked along Middletown Road in Struthers.
Whitney Yaeger, 20, is charged with vehicular homicide in Muslosvki’s death. According to reports, Yaeger veered off the road where Muslovsky was walking, running him over. She later admitted to police that she was texting while driving when the accident occurred.
Yanssens said she has supported Canfield’s ordinance, as it is the first Valley community to have such a law on the books. But she said now’s the time to take action.
“I’m very pleased to know here locally they believe distracted driving is an issue occurring in our own backyards,” she said. “I’m a little disappointed that they haven’t issued a citation because any solution to distracted driving encompasses three components — education, legislation and enforcement.”
Yenssens said she’s happy with the educational work Canfield is doing to teach drivers about the dangers of texting, but no amount of information and fact will have a lasting effect without lawful action.
“Laws aren’t meant to educate; they’re meant to be deterrents,” she said. “Statistics show drivers are not deterred by the thought of getting hurt, but they are deterred by the thought of getting a fine or ticket.”
But Weamer said not everyone will be deterred at the threat of lawful punishment.
“People are going to stop because they’re educated about the dangers, not because it’s a law,” he said.
Weamer used the seat-belt law as an example: “You’re taught from a young age that you wear your seat belt. It’s a trained behavior.”