Texas distracted driving news: State Sen. Judith Zaffirini continues to push for a complete set of distracted driving laws in Texas. Her Senate Bill 41 would outlaw use of handheld communications devices for all drivers. Her law would be "just hands-free, instead of (a banning) using a cell phone for certain purposes." She says the texting law that went into effect in late 2017 is better than nothing, but has loopholes such as allowing texting in temporarily stopped traffic. Texas' texting & driving law went into effect Sept. 1, 2017. Fines are $25 to $99 for a first offense, then $100 … [Read more...]
Louisiana: Cell phone laws, legislation
November 3, 2008 by 24 Comments
Cell phone, texting news: State Sen. Patrick McMath's 2024 plan to outlaw handheld cell phone use by drivers has been approved by the Senate and is before the full House. It would be limited to secondary enforcement, however, except for school and work zones. "The impact (of a distracted driving fatality) is never ending," one survivor told lawmakers March 27. A 2016 law hits Louisiana's distracted drivers in the wallet. It established a $500 fine for first-time offenders of the state texting law, a penalty that can double for serial offenders. Minors pay higher fines as well. Gov. John … [Read more...]
Nebraska: Cell phone laws, legislation
October 20, 2008 by 3 Comments
Distracted driving update: First-term Gov. Jim Pillen said, “I think we do have a problem” with cell phone use by drivers. "I think we have to have some serious conversations," he said in August 2023. Nebraska bans texting while driving, but limits police to secondary enforcement, meaning another reason is needed to make a traffic stop. Nineteen fatalities linked to distracted drivers in Nebraska during 2019, with almost 1,500 injuries. In 2017, at least 228 traffic fatalities were logged overall, compared with 217 the previous year. Safety officials cited distracted driving as a … [Read more...]
New Hampshire: Cell phone laws, legislation
October 1, 2008 by 8 Comments
Cell phone, texting news: A 2023 measure seeks to prohibit drivers from holding pets or other animals in their laps while operating a vehicle. The plan is House Bill 260. New Hampshire's hands-free law went into effect in July 2015. It was the 13th state to ban the practice. Fines range from $100 (first offense) to $500. The distracted driving measure cleared the legislature in May 2014 and was signed by Gov. Maggie Hassan, who said it tackles "an increasing danger we must address." The ban on text messaging went into effect in 2010. Current prohibitions: Handheld cell phone use … [Read more...]
West Virginia: Cell phone laws, legislation
September 24, 2008 by 19 Comments
Cell phone, texting news: Delegate Steve Westfall modernized the state's electronic distracted driving law with a comprehensive rewrite. His HB 2218 of 2023 includes jail or prison time for causing serious injury or a death while driving distracted. The measure was signed into law in late March and took effect in June. West Virginia's law against using handheld cell phones while driving became subject to primary enforcement in 2013. The law went into effect that summer, after a year of secondary enforcement in which police needed another reason to stop a motorist observed breaking the … [Read more...]
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