The Texas legislature is currently trying to pass laws that would keep teens from driving after 10 p.m., buying cigarettes, texting while driving, and jumping into tanning beds. The legislature argues that these laws target young people because they are still developing judgements and are prone to danger.
I understand the concern of the legislature to protect our young people. To just turn 16 and get your license is a huge expression of freedom. But it is also such a huge responsibility as well. These laws that are targeting Texas’ teens should also be applied to Adults. HB662 is pending in the House right now and is hoping to prohibit drivers under 18 from using a cellphone while driving. I see no difference from a 17 year old texting while driving and a 25 or 40 year old doing the exact same thing. It is very dangerous none the less to do anything while driving.If this bill does pass it needs to apply to every Texan.
I laugh at the idea that there is a bill that has passed the House, HB1310, that would prohibit anyone younger than 16 1/2 from using a tanning bed in a salon. First of all, teens are allowed to operate a motor vehicle at the age of 16. I think that they should be able to choose whether to tan or not in a salon. This is outrageous and such an infringement on parents ability to parent their child. If a parent doesn’t want their child to tan, then they won’t. But if the parent is all for the child tanning, then let them tan! This is a ridiculous bill and I really hope that our legislature would focus on much more important issues and leave these sort of things to the parents.
I think that anyone using a cellphone while driving should have their license suspended just because of the danger is poses, no matter the age. But, when it comes to teens tanning... come on! State laws need to focus on the things that matter the most. Some of these issues need to be left to the parents to decide.
In Mr. Riojas' blog, The Lonestar Government, he comments on pending legislation that would limit teen freedoms such as tanning and texting while driving. While agreeing with limiting cell phone usage while driving for any age, Riojas states that it is an infringement on parent's rights to pass legislation banning teens' use of tanning beds.
ReplyDeleteI agree that texting while driving is dangerous for anyone, no matter what age, and the lack of experience driving shared by most teens compounds the issue. However, I think that if this law passes, it's going to be extremely difficult to enforce. Teens know how to hide anything (including texting in class) and a determined texter is most likely going to fly under the radar of law enforcement. The only benefit I could see coming from this law is that cell phone records could be subpoenad during litigation if there were an injury accident and charges could be pressed against the party that was texting at the time of the wreck.
While passing laws banning teens using tanning beds may seem like an infringement on parental rights, keep in mind that our society is rapidly evolving in the direction of socialized medicine. To put it bluntly, you and I will soon be paying for the skin cancer treatments of teens that tan today. Since children and teens have such a high rate of skin cell turnover, their chances of getting cancer from UV rays is much higher than it is for adults. Unless tanning bed usage is prescribed by a doctor for therapeutic purposes (treatments for various kinds of skin disorders), perhaps it's best for teens to get tan the old fashioned way...which is also slightly less likely to kill them.
In Mr. Riojas' blog, The Lone Star Government, he states how the Texas legislature are currently trying to pass a few laws that are aim towards teens. Laws such as when they should be able to drive, buying cigarettes, texting while driving, and tanning are being discussed because at that age they're still developing judgements and prone to danger.
ReplyDeleteI would definitely agree with everything Mr. Riojas stated. Whether you're 16 or 40 it's never a good reason why you should be texting and driving. If you do get a text just don't look at it until you've reached you're destination. Besides it's even worse when that person is first learning how to drive and trying to text at the same time. I agree that these laws shouldn't just be aimed at teens but they should also be applied toward adults because the rate of them getting into an accident or something is just as high as teens when they're on the phone or texting.
I have to agree with Mr. Riojas that the law prohibiting teens younger than 16 1/2 from tanning is just ridiculous. I mean yeah the legislature probably only looking out for their health, but still if the parents are up for them tanning then let it be.
Finally, some of these are just ridiculous, do they have nothing better to do than just sit there and come up with laws targeted just for teens? Come on, focus on something that's even more important and leave these type of things for the parents to decide. Besides teens already rebel against their parents as it is but if these laws does get pass, they'll just rebel even more and is that what we really want?