New year, new distracted driving laws. Three states -- Delaware, Kentucky and Kansas -- saw their distracted driving laws take full effect as 2011 arrived. In Delaware, the law against driving while text messaging or using a handheld cell phone went into effect Jan. 2. Penalties begin immediately: $50 (first offense), then $100 to $200 for subsequent violations. Delaware's distracted driving bans call for primary enforcement, meaning police can stop and cite motorists for violations without needing another reason. Also prohibited for drivers are Internet activities, game playing and use of … [Read more...]
California plan to double fines is dead
August 16, 2010 by 2 Comments
State Sen. Joe Simitian's bid to increase the effectiveness of California's distracted driving laws has failed, at least for 2010. Senate Bill 1475 would have would more than doubled fines on the trio of distracted driving laws that the senator pushed through in recent years. The bill also would have applied the laws against text messaging and use of handheld cell phones to California's bicyclists. "The deadline for bills to pass the Appropriations Committee was Aug. 13, and since the cell phone bill did not pass the committee by the deadline, it died there," said Phil Yost of Simitian's … [Read more...]
Missouri: Show us the ban, not the logo
July 18, 2010 by Leave a Comment
The Missouri State Highway Patrol's heart seems in the right place with its new public safety campaign against texting and driving. Certainly there's a need: So far this year there have been 17,535 crashes in the Show Me State where distracted driving was cited as a contributing cause. The highway patrol even arranged for a race car to bear the logo for the no-texting campaign, one of those red-cross-out designs that says "no texting." Want a decal for your very own car? They're free to the public as window clingers. One slight problem. If you're a driver 21 or older in Missouri, feel free … [Read more...]
New distracted driving laws in 4 states
July 1, 2010 by 2 Comments
Texting and driving means trouble with the law in four new states. Georgia, Michigan, Iowa and Wyoming all saw their legislature's distracted driving plans become effective July 1. Across the states, drivers fretted over what was allowed and what was not, and law officers raised the usual concerns about enforcement. In Michigan, a spokesman for the police chiefs association wasn't happy: "It's going to be very difficult for us," he said. But in Iowa, a Sioux City officer said, "We've all seen people driving and texting -- it's pretty obvious what they're doing." Georgia Gov. Sonny … [Read more...]
4 states OK distracted driving laws
June 7, 2010 by 2 Comments
Distracted driving legislation found favor with the governors of Georgia, Connecticut, Vermont and Kansas in recent days. In Georgia, it was drama on deadline for the text messaging and cell phone bills approved by the Legislature. The governor threatened vetoes, citing enforcement issues. "None of this business is black and white," Gov. Sonny Perdue said. Safety advocates, lawmakers and students lobbied furiously in the final days of the legislative session for Perdue to sign the bills, which he did with no time to spare. Georgia's new distracted driving laws take effect July 1. Text … [Read more...]
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