Road safety prevents accidents, protects auto insurance rates

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said this week that he would support a ban on sending text messages while driving, potentially helping drivers benefit from reasonable auto insurance rates.

The Transportation Department announced this week that it would be holding a summit in September involving elected officials, law enforcement leaders and others in a discussion on how to cut down on distracted driving.

Accidents caused by drivers who were text messaging or talking on cell phones have fueled a growing discussion about when and if to ban such activities.

"The bottom line is, distracted driving is dangerous driving," said LaHood, who indicated that other measures would be announced in the coming weeks to help combat the problem.

Recent studies have found that drivers who send text messages are far more likely to be involved in accident, especially if they are driving larger vehicles like trucks. In total, 14 states have already banned texting while driving.

Various media outlets have reported on a number of accidents in recent months involving drivers who were texting or otherwise distracted. This has been a growing danger to drivers and also an increasing burden for auto insurance companies.