Motorists have been warned. Now they'll be fined. A trio of states saw their distracted driving laws take full effect with the new year, bringing new fines. Virginia, Arizona and Idaho had been issuing warnings under previously enacted hands-free laws. In Virginia, the law now prohibits the holding of wireless communications devices while driving. Although the ban went into effect in mid-summer, enforcement began with the new year. Officials say almost 20 percent of all crashes on Virginia's roads and highways can be linked to distraction. Almost 15 percent of fatalities had that … [Read more...]
Distraction deaths up 10%, NHTSA reports
December 22, 2020 by 1 Comment
Deaths from motor-vehicle crashes decreased slightly last year, but distraction-related fatalities were up 10 percent, federal analysts said. 2019 motor-vehicle crashes resulted in a 2 percent decrease in fatalities from 2018, according to final figures released in late December 2020 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The number of deaths linked to driver distraction was 3,142 nationwide, or almost 9 percent of all fatalities in 2019. This represents a 10 percent increase over the year 2018, or 284 more fatalities, the NHTSA reported. The distraction figure was the … [Read more...]
Distracted driving laws updated in trio of states
July 1, 2020 by 1 Comment
The year's midpoint brings new distracted driving laws to three states: Idaho, Indiana and South Dakota. The laws took effect July 1, after a unique legislative season in which many state capitals were emptied out because of the coronavirus, stalling many efforts to update and upgrade electronic distracted driving laws. In Idaho, drivers have six months to get used to the state's new hands-free law. Warnings are being handed out until Jan. 1, 2021. The new law prohibits almost all drivers from using handheld portable communications devices such as smartphones. When tickets start flowing, … [Read more...]
Idaho, Indiana, Virginia adopt hands-free laws
March 29, 2020 by Leave a Comment
The 2020 legislative season has more or less come to a halt, along with much of modern life in the United States, but not before a trio of states adopted new handheld cell phone laws. Governors in Idaho, Indiana and Virginia signed off on hands-free laws that worked their way through legislatures as the coronavirus began its assault on the country. In South Dakota, the weak texting law is being replaced with a new law that bars many but not all uses of handheld electronic devices while driving. All of these new electronic distracted driving laws come with primary (full) … [Read more...]
Massachusetts hangs up on handheld use
February 23, 2020 by 1 Comment
New England has gone hands-free with the launch of Massachusetts' new cell phone law, which is now in effect. Gov. Charlie Baker signed the long-debated distracted driving bill into law Nov. 24. (top photo) and it began Sunday, Feb. 23. It bars motorists from holding cell phones. Violators will be pulled over but receive warnings until Tuesday, March 31. Fines are $100 for first offenders, $250 for second offenders and $500 for third offenders. Serial offenders are required to attend traffic school. And three-time violators will see their offenses reported to insurance companies, … [Read more...]
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