Most New York cell phone offenders are in for a nasty surprise come Feb. 16: With that distracted driving ticket comes two points against the driver's license. The rule change brings handheld cell phone violations in line with penalties under the state's 2009 text messaging law, which provides for 2 points against an offender's license. "It is only logical to assign two points to both of these forms of distracted driving," the New York DMV said in its proposed rule-making filing. "It will send a message that DMV considers cell phone violations a serious offense, in the same way DMV … [Read more...]
Distracted walking laws, legislation
February 5, 2011 by 2 Comments
Distracted walking updates: Pennsylvania state Rep. Karen Boback seeks a crackdown on distracted walking with new legislation. The proposed bill seeks to fine pedestrians who use a cell phone while wandering into traffic. "Distracting walking is a very real and serious issue," Boback said in a midsummer memo to colleagues. "Technology has invaded our life, and as a result people have stopped paying attention to their surroundings." A study of medical database reports found cell phone–related injuries to the head and neck have increased steeply over the recent 20-year period, with many cases … [Read more...]
Bieber stays the course with text pledge
February 2, 2011 by 2 Comments
Kid singing star Justin Bieber hasn't forgotten about his promise to campaign against teenage texting and driving. On a recent episode of "Makeover: Home Edition," he found time to help the Brown Family of Wellman, Texas, whose daughter and sister Alexandra died in a crash caused by a texting driver. "Makeover" built the family a new home while they went on a freebie trip to New York to meet Bieber and see his concert. Alexandra's kid sister Katrina, 12, got to hang out with the singer before the show. "It's been a big part of my life to influence others not to text and drive," the singer … [Read more...]
British Columbia: Distracted driving news
January 24, 2011 by 10 Comments
A Prince George woman has won her appeal of her distracted driving conviction for using a two-way radio. The British Columbia Supreme Court sided with Tania Lousia Shelford, who protested that her radio was attached to her van. A lower court had rejected the appeal saying the microphone she used was not fixed to the van, but justices found it was. "The hand unit is just the microphone for the user and the receiver is the mounted radio unit to which (the microphone) is connected," the high court found in late May 2021. In Victoria, a 24-year-old driver who stuck and injured a young … [Read more...]
Alberta: Distracted driving news
January 24, 2011 by 4 Comments
Alberta's justice minister is under investigation following a phone call to Edmonton's police chief regarding a distracted driving ticket the minister received. He has taken a leave of absence in the matter. “To be abundantly clear, at no point did I request that the ticket be rescinded,” Kaycee Madu said in a statement. “I would never do that." He said in mid-January 2022 that he regretted "raising the issue at all" with the police chief. The ticket for cell phone use was issued in a school zone. Madu, who is black, said he was concerned he was racially profiled and that the citation could … [Read more...]
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