Nov. 5, 2015

#StayFocusedOK: Stop Texting While Driving

Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin signed into law House Bill 1965, creating the Trooper Nicholas Dees and Trooper Keith Burch Act of 2015. This law went into effect Nov. 1 and makes Oklahoma the 46th state to ban texting while driving.

This law prohibits any person operating a motor vehicle from using a hand-held electronic communication device to manually compose, send or read an electronic text message while the motor vehicle is in motion. Offenders can receive a $100 fine.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma (BCBSOK) supports this law to help keep Oklahomans safer while on the road. According to the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety and Highway Safety Office, there were more than 1,700 motor vehicle accidents in Oklahoma caused by distracted drivers using electronic devices in 2013, and 14 of those accidents were fatal.

BCBSOK strives to make Oklahoma a better place to live for all Oklahomans, which includes making the roads safer. Our lives are full of distractions and a vehicle is one place where we can all make an effort to limit those distractions.

Turning off a cell phone or putting it on silent while driving can help drivers concentrate on their surroundings. It is the responsibility of everyone on the road to stay safe and stay focused while driving.
Throughout the month of November, BCBSOK will be tweeting facts about the dangers of texting while driving. Follow the hashtag #StayFocusedOK to stay in the know.