Gov. Jerry Brown has again vetoed a plan to increase California's distracted driving penalties. Looks like the plan never had a chance with the governor: "I have found even a $50 ticket unpleasant enough," Brown, left, said in his veto message of Sept. 28. Brown called current California fines "a powerful deterrent," adding: "I severely doubt that it will further reduce violations." Senate Bill 1310 sponsor Sen. Joe Simitian also was the author of the 2011 plan to double electronic distracted driving fines. That bill, too, was vetoed by Brown as a burden on "people of ordinary … [Read more...]
GHSA: Ban handheld cell phone use
September 6, 2012 by 3 Comments
The Governors Highway Safety Association has climbed off the fence on the issue of handheld cell phone use while driving. The group, composed of the top highway safety officers from each state, previously supported text messaging bans for all drivers and limits on electronic device use by teen drivers. But it had stopped short of endorsing bans on handheld cell phone use by all drivers, saying research was inconclusive. Almost all public safety groups and transportation agencies have long been on the record against use of handheld cell phones by drivers. The GHSA move, announced Sept. 6, … [Read more...]
New York texting tickets by county
July 12, 2012 by Leave a Comment
A breakdown of New York State's texting ticketing by county in the year since tougher distracted driving laws went into effect (July 2011-July 2012). Read the related New York distracted driving article. Source: New York governor's office. … [Read more...]
N.J. approves full prosecutions
June 29, 2012 by 1 Comment
The New Jersey Legislature gave final approval June 28 to a measure allowing full prosecution of cell phone users if they drive recklessly and cause serious harm or death. The legislation is tagged Kulesh, Kubert and Bolis' Law, after New Jersey victims of distracted driving accidents. Handheld cell phone users causing serious crashes would be prosecuted under criminal homicide or assault-by-vehicle laws, with a presumption that they were driving recklessly. Penalties would include prison time and fines up to $150,000, similar to drunken driver punishments. The distracted driving measure … [Read more...]
Ohio 39th state to ban texting, driving
June 1, 2012 by 1 Comment
Ohio became the 39th state to ban texting, as Gov. John R. Kasich signed a distracted driving measure into law. The ban takes effect 90 days after the June 1 signing, at the end of August. A six-month warning period will follow in which police will not write tickets but may make stops. The new Ohio law has two levels of enforcement: There is secondary enforcement for adults who text messaging while driving. This means that police need another reason to stop and cite violators, such as speeding. For drivers under the age of 18, however, texting and use of other portable electronic devices … [Read more...]
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