The New Hampshire Supreme Court has upheld the conviction of a man sent to prison for reckless driving while reading a text message. The resulting wreck left a teenager riding in another vehicle with brain damage. Chad Belleville was found guity of second-degree assault after he admitted to reading the text while his southbound SUV crossed the median and hit two northbound vehicles, leaving the boy with brain damage. Justice Carol Ann Conboy, left, wrote Feb. 11 that Belleville's driving on Dec. 23, 2010, was a "gross deviation from the conduct of a law-abiding citizen." He remains … [Read more...]
In South Dakota, a texting turf war
February 7, 2014 by Leave a Comment
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...]
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...]
Calif. teen-texting loophole closed
October 15, 2013 by 1 Comment
California teens are breaking the law if they text message while driving. Period. Gov. Jerry Brown has signed legislation closing a loophole that allowed drivers under 18 to use voice-activated technology to text while driving. The novice drivers aren't allowed to use communications devices such as smartphones, whether hand-held or hands-free. (Adults are permitted to use hands-free devices.) But a 2012 revision to California's distracted driving laws permits use of hands-free technology for texting, and that change applied to all drivers. The 2012 change to the driving laws followed … [Read more...]
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