South Dakota finds itself in the midst of a turf war over distracted driving legislation. The House speaker, an opponent of previous distracted driving legislation, proposed a bill for 2014 that would discard the state's crazy quilt of local laws regarding texting and cell phones. At a contentious House hearing Feb. 5, state Rep. Brian Gosch, left, amended his bill to include a statewide ban on texting & driving. Critics said his intent was to eliminate local authority over distracted driving and replace the ordinances with a watered-down state law. Updates: That bill passed the House … [Read more...]
Mississippi ‘careless’ with texting
February 5, 2014 by 2 Comments
Faced with more than a dozen bills seeking an end to texting & driving in Mississippi, lawmakers cut the field to two plans -- neither packing much of a punch. The Senate on Feb. 5 approved a plan to include text messaging while driving as a type of careless driving. The fine would start at $5, but without the usual fees connected with a traffic offense. The maximum fine would be $50. The bill also would outlaw use of social media web sites. SB 2434 now advances to the House, which has long reluctant to support distracted driving legislation. What appears to be the main texting & … [Read more...]
11 states flash red for safety laws
January 23, 2014 by 1 Comment
Eleven states are "dangerously behind" in adopting highway safety laws, according to an advocacy group's annual report. The states include Florida, Arizona, Nebraska and Alabama. Also making the group's dumb-and-dumber list are South Dakota, Mississippi, Iowa, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota and Wyoming. South Dakota ranked as the worst in the nation in terms of "optimal" laws. Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety graded all 50 states and the District of Columbia on 15 basic traffic safety laws. It assigns a rating of green, yellow or red to each state. The 2014 "Roadmap … [Read more...]
Google Glass ticket thrown out
January 16, 2014 by Leave a Comment
A California tech tester who was stopped and cited for using Google Glass has beaten the rap. A San Diego court officer said he found no evidence that Cecilia Abadie was using the new visual technology just before she was stopped for speeding. The ticket was for using a "monitor" while driving, not for a violation of cell phone or texting laws. The court commissioner did say "falls within the purview and intent" of state law against using a video monitor, however. California permits hands-free cell phone use and texting for adult drivers. Abadie wore the glasses while talking with … [Read more...]
Nebraska’s secondary laws targeted
January 9, 2014 by 1 Comment
State Sen. John Harms of Nebraska has been pushing for modernized traffic safety laws for most of his time in the Legislature, dating back to 2006. With one year to go, Harms is rounding up his key issues in the ambitious Nebraska Roadway Safety Act bill. The 2014 bill seeks to eliminate "secondary enforcement" from key Nebraska traffic safety laws, including the ban on texting & driving. Harms says the bill's six-part approach may find more success in the Legislature than individual measures, such as several he has carried over from 2013. The comprehensive legislation "brings … [Read more...]
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