And now a word from the Pennsylvania state lawmaker who wants to slam Philadelphia and any other rogue cities and counties that enact vehicle laws regarding cell phones and texting. No municipality should take the ''lone wolf'' approach, Rep. Richard Geist declares. This all started when Philly's mayor recently signed off on a ban on handheld cell phone use by drivers and cyclists. State legislators led by Geist threatened the city to the tune of $90 million. “We are doing what we think is in our best interest,” Mayor Mike Nutter said. In fact, Geist points out that the fine for a local … [Read more...]
N.Y. legislator snubs mom of texting fatality
May 21, 2009 by Leave a Comment
The chairman of the Transportation Committee in New York's Assembly has been previously cited as an impediment to texting and handheld cell phone bans for drivers. Now, the gloves are off. (Published on: May 21, 2009. Update: Gantt's driver safety bill that includes a ban on New York State text messaging while driving cleared the Assembly on June 17 and was sent to the Senate.) Assemblyman David Gantt infuriated some legislators Tuesday as he refused to meet with the mother whose son died as he was texting and driving. Kelly Cline was in Albany to lobby for a bill that would ban text … [Read more...]
Illinois texting bill gets final OK
May 19, 2009 by Leave a Comment
Illinois Rep. John D’Amico predicted early in the legislative season that distracted-driving legislation would get "a lot of traction" this year. He was right. D'Amico's HB 71 and HB 72 have been approved by the House and Senate, with the Senate's vote coming May 19. Both bills were given final approval in the House on May 28 and sent to Gov. Pat Quinn. Illinois House Bill 71 seeks to ban text messaging while driving. In an unusual provision, texting would be permitted if the vehicle is stopped in traffic. The earlier approval by the Illinois House came on on April 1. The votes were 89-27 in … [Read more...]
Cell phones, text messaging & trouble
May 18, 2009 by Leave a Comment
Here's a roundup of deaths, injuries and legal activity resulting from drivers who allegedly were chatting on cell phones or text messaging as they crashed. The lead item, of course, is the rail crash in Boston, in which 50 people were injured. The operator was text messaging his girlfriend at the time. The incident brought back memories of the deadly Los Angeles rail crash in which the operator was texting friends. These reports from police and the courts were gathered in the past two weeks. BOSTON -- The Boston transit authority immediately banned operators of train, trolleys and buses … [Read more...]
Tennessee outlaws texting while driving
May 15, 2009 by Leave a Comment
Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen has signed into law a ban on text messaging while driving, as expected. Enforcement will begin July 1. The Tennessee ban on text messaging while driving comes with a $50 fine for violators and $10 court costs. It is a non-moving offense, meaning no points are added to the driver’s license and there are no insurance problems. Enforcement is expected to come into play when drivers commit other violations or get into accidents, law enforcement agencies indicated after the May 13 signing. The Senate bill went through a lot of push-and-pull before crossing the desk … [Read more...]
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