Steady, cell phone chatterers. The Essex Chronicle in England has decided to "name and shame" drivers who are violating traffic laws by using mobile phones behind the wheel. A reporter accompanied local police as they cited drivers for chatting and texting while motoring. The newspaper then printed the perps' names and photos. The unusual tactic sometimes is used by the media to humiliate prostitutes' johns, but the cell phone suspects didn't seem all that repentant. "I don't like people telling me how to live my life," said second-time offender Gemma Dean. When asked if she felt like she … [Read more...]
Archives for January 2010
New year, new distracted driving laws
January 4, 2010 by Leave a Comment
A handful of distracted driving laws went into effect on Jan. 1, 2010, seeking to rein in drivers who yap on cell phones and send text messages while behind the wheel. The vast majority of distracted driving legislation went nowhere in 2009 -- surprising for a year in which so much publicity was generated over the issue -- but a handful of states got past the debates and took their safety concerns to the streets. The focus now moves from the legislatures to the law enforcement agencies, where enforcement could be spotty. In Illinois, text messaging is now illegal for all drivers. Fines are … [Read more...]
Distracted driving progress cited by NYT
January 4, 2010 by 1 Comment
"I’m on a rampage about this, and I’m not going to let up," U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says of the dangerous practice of text messaging while driving. Rampage on, Ray. LaHood's comments were reported Jan. 3 in a New York Times article, "Bills to Curb Distracted Driving Gain Momentum." The article adds nothing new to the conversation about distracted driving, but contains a few items of interest. "Proposals (to curb distracted driving) are being met with less resistance than in years past from legislators, and are enjoying newfound industry support," the article says. Reporter … [Read more...]
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