Governor Signs Executive Order Barring Texting and Driving

Staff and Wire Reports

OKLAHOMA CITY - Gov. Brad Henry signed an executive order today that bars state employees from sending text messages while driving state vehicles and conducting state business.

The Governor said he wants the directive to serve as a model for all Oklahoma motorists to ensure safer roads and highways.

Henry was joined at Thursday's ceremony by highway safety advocates and Reps. Danny Morgan and Sue Tibbs, who conducted an interim study on the issue last year.

According to the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office, distractions caused by text messaging contribute to hundreds of injury accidents each year and also have been blamed for fatal crashes.

"Technological advances like text messaging have revolutionized our lives in many ways, but they have also created serious distractions that can have disastrous results on our roadways," Henry said in a press release. "There really is no way someone can be an alert and responsible driver while he or she is also reading or typing out keys on a small keyboard. This is a matter of common sense."

Under the order, Oklahoma state employees are prohibited from text messaging when driving government vehicles, driving private vehicles on government business or when using electronic equipment supplied by the state while driving. The directive defines "texting" or "text messaging" as reading from or entering data into any handheld or other electronic device.

The executive order will not become effective until February 1.

Nineteen states and the District of Columbia currently ban text messaging while driving

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