Woburn Police Try New Strategies to Combat Texting While Driving

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Woburn Police are reminding residents that not only is texting while driving unnecessary and dangerous, it’s also against the law.

“Texting and driving requires motorists to take their eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, and mind off the task of driving,”said Woburn Traffic Sergeant Raymond Mooney, in a statement to the media.

“It creates the proverbial ‘perfect storm’ for a crash, and no one has the right to put another person’s life at risk like that.”

Almost 200 police department throughout Massachusetts - including Woburn - are participating in a national “U Drive. U Text. U Pay.” campaign to discourage mid-travel texting.

In 2010, writing, sending, or reading electronic messages (including emails), or browsing the internet while driving became punishable with a $100 fine for a first offense. Under the law, juveniles aren’t even allowed to talk on the phone while behind the wheel. They’ll likewise be fined $100 and have their license suspended for 60 days if busted.

And these rules apply to individuals sitting in the drivers’ seats of parked cars.

But reps from the Woburn Police Department admit that such measures are tricky to enforce. At a glance, it’s impossible to tell if a passing driver is 17 years old or 19 years old. An adult driver about to place a phone call - which is legal - may be indistinguishable from a driver sending a forbidden text or email.

Therefore, authorities in Woburn say they’re emphasizing outreach and education in their efforts against distracted driving. They’re also keeping their eyes out for drivers staring at their laps for several seconds, and drivers looking at phones without talking or hitting any buttons, either of which could be pulled over for suspected mid-drive texting.

Even so, there’s more at stake than $100 traffic tickets. Stats provided by Woburn Police show that 3,154 people were killed and an estimated 424,000 people were injured nationally in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers in 2013.