How officers (and you) can spot a texting driver

How officers (and you) can spot a texting driver
Texting while driving is illegal in 39 states and the District of Columbia. In most of those states, it's a primary enforcement violation, meaning the officer can stop a motorist solely for texting while driving, says the Governors Highway Safety Association.

The laws are having an unintended consequence. Instead of holding the phone up by their face, violators are putting it down in their laps. They think officers, cops and troopers won't be able to see it, says the National Troopers Coalitions, which has 45,000 members.

The troopers say these texters are more dangerous because their eyes are off the road for a longer time, but they are just as easy to spot.

Generally, they act like drunk drivers, going too fast or too slow for the traffic, weaving or not paying attention when the light turns red or green. Sometimes their heads are down and only one hand is on the wheel.

Officers advise motorists to give plenty of space to a texter, because he's an accident waiting to happen. Texters are 23 times more likely to be involved in an accident than non-texting drivers.

If you spot a very dangerous driver, call 911. Police say you should never confront the individual. That's where road rage could begin.

A 2009 study showed that sending a text or email takes a driver's eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds. That's about how long it takes a vehicle going 55 mph to cover the length of a football field.

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