I do not condone texting and driving. And I certainly don’t condone law enforcement not ticketing people for texting and driving, or engaging in any other distracted driving practice, for that matter. But I do feel kind of sorry for a teenage girl in Omaha, Nebraska.

On July 1, 2010, Nebraska’s new driving law, Legislative Bill 945, came into effect. The law bans teens (drivers under the age of 18) from using cell phones in any way, shape, or form. By July 19, five people became the first batch of drivers to receive tickets. One teenage girl, a 16-year-old, however, topped everyone and landed herself a feature on the local news as being the first person, on the day the law came into effect, to be ticketed.

Congratulations? You’re number one…

KETV in Omaha reports that the girl looked down to check a text, veered onto the center island in the road and took out a traffic sign. She is now facing a $200 fine and the loss of three points off her license.

First of all, it’s a miracle she didn’t hurt anyone and that she was able to walk away from her accident.

Second, is this not the best example of how one simple text message can have such a huge impact? I said a bit further up in the post that I feel bad for her. I don’t feel bad that she got caught, I feel sorry for her because not only did she mess up her license points so early in her driving career, but she is the first person, after nation-wide sweeping distracted driving reform, to receive a ticket in her state for distracted driving. She is now, “that girl” that parents are going to tell their teens not to be like.

I’m sure after the story broke there were parents in Omaha telling their kids, “I was watching the news yesterday and did you know they started enforcing that new texting law? Don’t be like ‘that girl’ that got a ticket the first day the law went into effect.”

I know I’m not your parent or guardian or anything, but I feel obligated to give you the same advice.

DON’T BE “THAT GIRL.”