Q&A: Taylor Leming, Texting Motorist

By Sarah N. Lynch

FIRST PERSON WITH: Taylor Leming, college grad, 21

Created Facebook group I Text Message People While Driving and I Haven't Crashed Yet!

Alaska and Louisiana just became the latest states to pass laws banning text-messaging behind the wheel. It's a popular activity: YouTube has videos of young adults texting while driving, and about 600 Facebook members have joined a group called I Text Message People While Driving and I Haven't Crashed Yet! TIME's Sarah N. Lynch contacted the group's founder, Taylor Leming, 21, of Round Hill, Va., who submitted her responses via e-mail:

Why did you start this group?

My friends and I were laughing about how we sometimes text and drive, and how we know it's dangerous and have nearly rear-ended people because of it. I made the group mainly as a joke among us and a few of our friends. And gradually people invited their friends, and so on.

Do you think texting while driving is a problem?

Yes. Unfortunately, people still do it. I still do it. Sometimes it just seems easier to text "Be there in 5" instead of calling.

Ever had an accident?

Thankfully, I have had only near accidents. A few times, I was texting in stop-and-go traffic and had to slam my brakes to avoid rear-ending the person in front of me ... :)

Would you support a text-and-drive ban?

It would be a hard rule to enforce, as a cop cannot necessarily see someone texting while driving. I would support it, however, because I consider myself to be a pretty good law follower and would feel pretty horrible if something happened because of me breaking a law.