Mandatory Penalties For Texting While Driving

The Federal Dept. of Transportation convened a huge conference in Washington, DC this week to talk about the dangers of texting while driving.  This subject has been getting a lot of press lately, and it should.  The figues are sobering: 2,600 deaths, 342,000 injuries and a financial toll of $42 billion annually resulting from text / cell phone-use accidents.  In fact, reserach shows that texting is as dangerous as drunk driving when it comes to increased risk for the driver and others on the road.  My question is, why aren't our elected officals taking this seriously?  Most of the laws on the books so far, including Virginia's, are a joke.  Slap on the hand fines?  That won't get the job done.  What will get the job done is mandatory jail time.  Think about it.  If we have mandatory jail for DUI, and texting is just as dangerous, why not?  Will anything less change drivers' behavior?  I don't think so.  History has proven that catchy slogans and ad campaigns simply don't work.  Mandatory penalties (like a weekend in jail) do.  Check out today's Washington Post Article and tell me if you agree.