Use of smartphones as GPS devices long has been a gray area in distracted driving laws, but a California appellate court ruling indicates it's time to put away those map apps. The "plain language" of California's cell phone statute and its legislative history indicate any use of a wireless communications device by drivers that is not hands-free is against the law, the Appellate Division of Fresno Superior Court has ruled. The original conviction of Steven Spriggs was for driving while using a wireless phone (without a hands-free attachment). Spriggs admitted to driving while viewing his … [Read more...]
Bad rap on texting & driving in Houston
April 2, 2013 by 3 Comments
Houston Mayor Annise Parker and local rap star Bun B crossed arms and teamed up for a video promoting the "It Can Wait, Houston" PSA campaign. Bun B brought the street cred by comparing texting & driving with playing Russian roulette. He also was on hand April 2 at the mayor's splashy launch for the texting campaign, linked to the AT&T national program. Parker says she'll back a Houston ordinance banning text messaging while driving if a statewide law doesn't result from the 2013 legislative session. Last time around, the governor vetoed a Texas texting measure OK'd by lawmakers, and appears … [Read more...]
Running Google Glass off the road
March 26, 2013 by Leave a Comment
The high-fashion high-tech Google glasses won't be in style for West Virginia motorists. At least that's the idea behind new legislation seeking to outlaw driving while wearing computer headgear with visual displays. Gary Howell, a conservative delegate, said he was inspired to pre-emptively ban the so-called Google Glass by reading articles about the emerging technology. Google Glass is not yet on the market, but the promotional push already is under way. The glasses would run afoul of Howell's proposed law because they "project visual information into the field of vision of the wearer." … [Read more...]
N.J., Maryland lawmakers crack down
March 21, 2013 by 1 Comment
Legislators in New Jersey and Maryland have moved to significantly toughen their state's electronic distracted driving laws. In New Jersey, what appears to be "the toughest hands-free cell phone law in the nation" is closer to enactment as the Legislature sent a distracted driving measure to Gov. Chris Christie. In Maine, a bill that gives primary enforcement status to the current wireless communications law has advanced from the House to the Senate. The bill also hikes fines for texting & talking on handheld cell phones while driving to as much as $500. First-time distracted driving … [Read more...]
U.S. drivers the most distracted
March 15, 2013 by Leave a Comment
U.S. drivers are far more likely than Europeans to drive while distracted by wireless communications devices such as cell phones, a trans-Atlantic study found. Almost 70 percent of U.S. drivers said they'd used a cell phone in the past 30 days, compared with 21 percent in the United Kingdom. The closest nation to the U.S. in cell phone & driving numbers was Portugal, with 60 percent of drivers admitting to the practice. Meanwhile, a new "teens and technology" survey finds that teens who own smartphones (such as the iPhone) access the Internet that way about half of the time, suggesting … [Read more...]
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