North Dakota, one of the few remaining states without any distracted driving law, has just become the 31st state to ban text messaging while driving. State Rep. Larry Klemin's House Bill 1195 prohibits all drivers from using a wireless communications device to read, write and send an electronic message (includes email). The bill was signed April 26 by Gov. Jack Dalrymple. The North Dakota texting and driving law takes effect Aug. 1, with fines of $100. Enforcement is primary. Dalrymple said at the signing ceremony: “Texting while driving is clearly a dangerous distraction that can … [Read more...]
Archives for April 2011
’20/20′ probes distracted driving
April 24, 2011 by 2 Comments
The ABC "20/20" report opened with a trio of startling clips: a screaming young woman's car is "t-boned" in a parking lot; a terrified new driver plunges into a snowbank; a trucker veers across four lanes before rolling over. The common denominator: all three were using cell phones before their crashes. The images were captured by "drive cams," which allow parents and bosses to review footage of incidents such as these. The "20/20" segment was reported by Chris Cuomo, who admitted he occasionally texted while driving -- "I am one of you." The ABC piece (video at bottom of page) rounded up … [Read more...]
Illinois summit hears success story
April 21, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Citing a "tremendous grassroots groundswell against distracted driving," DOT chief Ray La Hood opened the Illinois Distracted Driving Summit on a bullish note. "I can’t think of another safety issue in American history that’s gained so much traction in such a short period of time," LaHood said at the April 21 distracted driving conference, sponsored by the safety advocate group FocusDriven and the National Safety Council. LaHood cited: A boost from the entertainment industry, with Justin Bieber, Emma Roberts and Jordin Sparks spending their time and money on distracted driving prevention. … [Read more...]
U.K. teen imprisoned for texting death
April 13, 2011 by Leave a Comment
A young driver who killed a grandmother while read a text message in southeast England, has been sentenced to 2 1/2 years in jail. Photographers captured images of Keisha Wall, 19, of Reading as she walked into court clutching her mobile phone. She denied text messaging and said her mother, a driving instructor, may have grabbed her wheel, causing the fatality. Christine Lyon, 63 (pictured), died in February 2010 when Wall's vehicle jumped the curb. Lyon was pinned up against a wall, where she was crushed and killed instantly. The court heard evidence that Wall received and read a text … [Read more...]
It’s April, distracted driving month
April 1, 2011 by 3 Comments
April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, debuting this year with the support of safety advocates, law enforcement agencies and the U.S. DOT. Former U.S. Rep. Betsy Markey, pictured, made the designation official last year, with the help of the victims and survivors group FocusDriven. The California Highway Patrol is one of many law enforcement agencies nationwide that have adopted a "zero tolerance" enforcement policy for the month. More than 225 California police agencies and 103 California Highway Patrol agencies are participating in the crackdown. Markey's resolution began by … [Read more...]
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