Safety for Mississippi drivers is questioned

A bill to create more safety for drivers in the state of Mississippi was not passed creating questions among the people of the state. 

Ed Blackmon, a Representative from Mississippi argues for the bill to be passed against texting and driving but was eventually vetoed by the House.

As most people in Mississippi may know, the rest of the U.S. does not understand how Mississippi is one of the seven states that does not have a law against texting while driving. For some time now, a bill in the House has been trying to get passed to ban texting and driving in the state of Mississippi. But the Legislation killed the bill before the session ended last week. "The No's appear to have it," House Speaker Philip Gunn announced, "The motion fails." A recent poll showed that 93% of Mississippians had agreed with 43 other states in the law of banning texting and driving.

Even Governor, Phil Bryant said he wanted to sign the bill, "in hopes of protecting lives on Mississippi roadways.”  Statistics against driving while texting are becoming hazardous. According to many websites regarding "distracted driving" , more people are texting while driving which is taking away their attention as well as their responsive time to break their cars and causing more accidents. There are many statistics that show adults are becoming even worse at texting and driving, but young adults in college are also putting others in danger as well. 

   

               The state of Mississippi has many laws that do not make sense to many out of state students who come from states that have very strict driving laws. And many of these students attend schools like the University of Mississippi. Even though texting and driving has yet to be banned there are some laws that should be taken into effect. Numerous amount of male students are usually seen driving around campus in Ford F-150 pick-up trucks with their friends in the beds of their trucks to places like Sardis, baseball games, or around Oxford. “I take many of my friends around in the back of my truck all the time, which could be considered dangerous. It’s surprising that there is no law against it,” stated Cameron Cook, a Senior hockey player from New Jersey. 

At the University of Mississippi, everyday there is college students ranging from freshman to even adults driving around campus that are possibly putting their life in danger by texting and driving. “I’m the one that’s always texting, texting, texting then I’ll look up and be like oh, whoa I almost hit that car,” admitted Ole Miss student Draven Johnston, a freshman who currently has her car on campus. People will continue to try to make the bill to ban texting and driving happen, but it may take months or years for it to be passed.