Bans on handheld phones do work, and they work best in urban areas, according to a university study of traffic fatalities and injuries. A University of Illinois team looked at New York state in the years before and after its 2001 ban on handheld cell phones. All 62 counties in New York recorded lower motor vehicle injury rates after the ban, while 46 posted lower traffic fatalities -- 10 of them at statistically significant levels. When looking at three major population centers -- the Bronx, New York and Queens -- the personal injury decrease was more notable than in less populated … [Read more...]
Washington votes to toughen texting law
February 5, 2010 by Leave a Comment
The state of Washington already said no to text messaging while driving. Now it's shouting. The state Senate voted Feb. 5 to toughen Washington's law against texting and the use of handheld cell phones by targeting violators with primary (full) enforcement. Update: The House agreed with most of the bill, but rejected its call for primary enforcement for adult cell phone violations. The House vote came on March 3. The Senate then rejected those changes on March 6. The House and Senate versions must be reconciled before any legislation goes to the governor. The 2008 bans were limited to … [Read more...]
After a crash and ‘epiphany,’ Ky. rep votes yes
February 5, 2010 by 1 Comment
Last week, State Rep. Keith Hall of Kentucky turned thumbs down on a plan to ban text messaging while driving. He voted against HB 43 in the House Transportation Committee. The measure succeeded, though, and went before the full House on Feb. 4. This time, Hall voted yes with the zeal of a recent convert. "I've had a change of heart," he told the House. That's because the night before the vote, his wife reportedly reached for her ringing cell phone and plowed into another vehicle. “I heard the sirens go off, and my cell phone rang and they said, ‘Your wife has just had a serious traffic … [Read more...]
Governor reaches out to drivers — by texting
January 31, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Props to Gov. M. Jodi Rell for her plan to toughen Connecticut's existing ban on driving and talking on handheld cell phones. She's pushing for a text messaging ban, too. No doubt Rell is one of the good guys on this issue. But, get a load of the unfortunate wording in this invitation from the gov's official web site: Dear Friends: If you are like me, there are days when you are on the road all day, away from your computer and with limited access to e-mail. However, you want to be the first to know of the important news ... from my office. Now you can. Sign up today to get text messages … [Read more...]
Study: Handheld cell bans have no effect
January 30, 2010 by 1 Comment
Bans on handheld cell phone use by drivers aren't cutting into accident rates, according to a study by insurance industry researchers. "This finding doesn't auger well for any safety payoff from all the new laws that ban phone use and texting while driving," the leader of the Highway Loss Data Institute said. Collision claims in Calfornia, Connecticut and the District of Columbia remained about the same after they adopted bans on the use of handheld cell phones (meaning those without hands-free functionality), the group said. New York did show a decrease, but researchers dismissed that … [Read more...]
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