Cell phone, text messaging news: State Sen. Jo Comerford again seeks to amend the 2019 distracted driving law to prohibit use of videos by drivers. The 2023 bill would mandate that "no operator of a motor vehicle shall report or broadcast video of themselves on a mobile electronic device," Comerford said. The measure is dubbed "Charlie's Law," after a bicyclist hit and killed by a driver allegedly using Facetime. 2021 has seen an explosive increase in the number of electronic distracted driving citations statewide. In January, there were only 151 citations and warnings, but by April the … [Read more...]
Archives for 2008
Texas: Cell phone laws, legislation
November 12, 2008 by 94 Comments
Texas distracted driving news: State Sen. Judith Zaffirini continues to push for a complete set of distracted driving laws in Texas. Her Senate Bill 41 would outlaw use of handheld communications devices for all drivers. Her law would be "just hands-free, instead of (a banning) using a cell phone for certain purposes." She says the texting law that went into effect in late 2017 is better than nothing, but has loopholes such as allowing texting in temporarily stopped traffic. Texas' texting & driving law went into effect Sept. 1, 2017. Fines are $25 to $99 for a first offense, then $100 … [Read more...]
Ban texting while driving: AMA
November 11, 2008 by 1 Comment
The American Medical Assn. joined the movement against text messaging while driving, saying, "No one should have to worry that other drivers are focused on texting instead of traffic." The group of almost a quarter million physicians decided to throw its weight behind various state efforts to ban text messaging while driving. The group took up the headline-grabbing issue at its semi-annual policy meeting in Orlando. Seven states and Washington, D.C., have laws against motorists using texting devices. While bans on cell phone use while driving have proved controversial, the idea that texting … [Read more...]
Louisiana: Cell phone laws, legislation
November 3, 2008 by 24 Comments
Cell phone, texting news: State Rep. Brian Glorioso's 2024 plan to outlaw handheld cell phone use by drivers is now in full effect. The law took effect Aug. 1, 2025, with warnings expiring Jan. 1, 2026. It is limited to secondary enforcement, however, except for school and work zones. "The impact (of a distracted driving fatality) is never ending," one survivor told lawmakers March 27. A 2016 law hits Louisiana's distracted drivers in the wallet. It established a $500 fine for first-time offenders of the state texting law, a penalty that can double for serial offenders. Minors pay higher … [Read more...]
Ontario targets cell phones, text messages
October 31, 2008 by Leave a Comment
Ontario drivers would be prohibited from using hand-held cell phones and texting devices under a bill being pushed through by Transportation Minister Jim Bradley. The Canadian province would join Newfoundland and Labrador in banning use of cell phone while driving unless a hands-free device is employed. The transportation overseers say hand-held devices are involved in about a fifth of all highway accidents. Drivers' use of other devices such as iPods, MP3 players, video game players and laptop computers would be prohibited under the proposed law. Bill 118 is called the "Countering … [Read more...]
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