Britain's distracted drivers are getting the message as the new doubling of penalties has been accompanied by a national crackdown on use of mobiles. First-time violations of the laws against driving while using a mobile phone bring fines of £200 and 6 points vs. the driver's license, effective March 1. The Daily Mail reported that "scores" of drivers received citations on day 1, including the driver of a 7-ton truck making his way through a roundabout. Norfolk police tweeted that they'd stopped 11 drivers for mobile infractions in an hour and a half. The national crackdown … [Read more...]
Truckers to feds: Hands off our phones
February 9, 2017 by Leave a Comment
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration should stop worrying about distracted truck drivers and focus on vehicle standards, a drivers group says. "NHTSA continues to overstep its authority and continues to fail at its mission of saving lives and improving safety," Todd Spencer of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association charged. "NHTSA should concentrate a great deal of its efforts on the Federal Motor Vehicle Standards." Spencer, executive vice president of the truckers organization, made his comments in reference to the NHTSA's second phase of its "Driver … [Read more...]
Group sees ‘red’ over texting laws
February 1, 2017 by 2 Comments
Citing an "alarming two-year jump in motor vehicle crash deaths" and a falloff in traffic-safety lawmaking, the group Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety released its annual report card. The survey of highway safety laws gigs nine states for having ineffective distracted driving laws. Eight of those receive overall "red" ratings for anemic safety laws. Flagged for not having all-driver texting & driving laws are Arizona, Missouri, Montana and Texas. Criticized for anemic secondary-enforcement texting laws are Florida, Iowa, Nebraska, Ohio and South Dakota. Looking solely at … [Read more...]
In Arizona, another roadblock to law
January 25, 2017 by Leave a Comment
Arizona's backers of distracted driving laws appear to be in for yet another disappointing legislative session. Hopes were raised for 2017 with the departure for Washington of distracted driving law foe Andy Biggs, longtime Senate president. But now Senate Transportation Committee chief Bob Worsley, left, appears to be filling Biggs' shoes. Worsley, a Republican, has blocked from his panel's consideration all distracted driving legislation except a plan to outlaw use of wireless communications devices by young drivers -- and only for the first six months of their licensing. Worsley, … [Read more...]
Hersman to advise DOT on vehicle tech
January 11, 2017 by Leave a Comment
National Safety Council president Deborah Hersman has been named to the Department of Transportation's Advisory Committee on Automation in Transportation. Hersman, a longtime activist in the fight against electronic distracted driving, previously worked for the federal DOT as chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board. "With new technologies and innovative approaches to mobility, we hold the keys to reach a future without transportation fatalities," Hersman said. Hersman was appointed by outgoing DOT Secretary Anthony Fox, whom she lauded for his leadership on technology … [Read more...]
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