The blah blah blah over text messaging and driving gets pretty tiresome: How could any law possibly be enforced? What about my civil liberties? Yadda yadda. We've heard it all by now. Meet a lawmaker in Pennsylvania who is mad as hell about texting and is not going to take it anymore. The president of the township commission in Lower Chichester, Rocco Gaspari Jr., had this to say Monday after the body voted to ban text messaging for all drivers, effective immediately: “Text messaging now supersedes drugs and alcohol for causing the most accidents in the United States. Something needs to be … [Read more...]
DOT calls texting, cell phone summit
August 4, 2009 by Leave a Comment
A national summit on the issue of drivers' use of cell phones and text messaging devices has been set by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The gathering of senior transportation officials, safety advocates, law enforcement representatives, members of Congress and academics who study distracted driving will be "in late September," Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced Tuesday. "I'm against texting but I'm not going to pre-judge the summit," LaHood later said in a Twitter entry. The DOT will announce a series of actions to deal with the distracted driving crisis after the … [Read more...]
New Hampshire texting ban now law
July 31, 2009 by 4 Comments
New Hampshire drivers can no longer legally text message and drive come Jan. 1. Gov. John Lynch signed legislation Friday that prohibits using two hands to type on an electronic device. Entering numbers on a cell phone is allowable. "It is clear that texting while driving poses a serious danger on our roadways. This new law sends a strong message that drivers should be attentive to the road, and those around them at all times," Lynch said. Meanwhile, in Oregon, Gov. Ted Kulongoski has signed off on HB 2377, which bans texting for drivers and also limits use of cell phones to adult … [Read more...]
Nationwide ban on texting proposed
July 30, 2009 by Leave a Comment
States would be required to prohibit text messaging for all drivers or face a loss of a quarter of their federal highway money, under a U.S. Senate bill introduced by four Democrats. Fourteen states have outlawed text messaging by drivers so far. The so-called ALERT Act gives the other states two years to enact bans on texting for all drivers, with the clock ticking once the federal Transportation Department issues guidelines. The state bans would have to cover all drivers of motor vehicles -- including truckers and school bus drivers -- as well as operators of mass transit systems. "The … [Read more...]
A texting ban in N.Y., finally
July 17, 2009 by Leave a Comment
New York's Senate has approved a ban on text messaging for all drivers, in a vote that was long in coming for a state that was one of the pioneers of cell phone safety behind the wheel. The Senate vote -- which applied to larger legislation concerning teenage driving laws -- was 57-1. The state Assembly's vote of June 17 was unanimous. The New York ban on text messaging by motorists is expected to take effect on Nov. 1, assuming Gov. David Paterson signs it, as expected. The bill originated with his motor vehicle department. The texting legislation had been in limbo due to the state … [Read more...]
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