Motorists in Nevada, Maine and Maryland are now subject to new distracted driving regulations. Nevada's ban on text messaging and using handheld cell phones will driving officially went into effect Saturday, Oct. 1. Violators won't be punished for the next three months, though, as law officers are only issuing warnings until Jan. 1. Then it's on to fines that start at $50 and go to $250. In Maryland, legislators have completed their clean-up of the existing texting while driving law. As of Oct. 1, "reading" of text messages is illegal while driving in Maine. Previously, only the writing and … [Read more...]
Alberta DD law now in effect
August 26, 2011 by 3 Comments
Alberta took its time installing a distracted driving law -- it's the eighth Canadian province to do so -- but the new rules clearly are among the most comprehensive in North America. The new Alberta distracted driving law went into effect next Thursday, Sept. 1. The fine is $172 (total). (This post updated Sept. 1) In addition to banning text messaging, emailing and the use of handheld cell phones for drivers, the law prohibits other use various other handheld electronic communications devices, grooming, non-commercial use of CB radios, GPS data entry, writing, drawing, sketching, reading … [Read more...]
Lobbyists fight distracted driving laws
July 1, 2010 by 1 Comment
A Washington lobbying group has been pitching cell phone companies and car manufacturers on a plan to derail distracted-driving legislation, according to several media reports this week. July 7 update: The lobbyists abandoned the effort to derail distracted driving laws after a scolding from U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. The lobbyists said they had succeeded in opening up the debate -- at any rate they succeeded in attracting a lot of publicity /update Oprah Winfrey and the DOT's LaHood are seen as threats to the mobile communications industry, according to the 10-page memo … [Read more...]
Wyoming: Cell phone & texting laws, bills
January 5, 2009 by 2 Comments
Distracted driving news: State Rep. Hans Hunt's plan to imprison drivers who kill while distracted by texting has been soundly rejected by the House. The 2018 measure would have provided for aggravated-homicide prosecution if a driver is texting while causing a fatality. The mid-February vote was 19-40. The city of Powell's ban on handheld cell phone use while driving went into effect in January 2018. Six months into enforcement, no tickets had been written, although police said "a lot of warnings" were handed out. The Powell Tribune said 24 warnings had been recorded by midyear. The local … [Read more...]
Idaho: Cell phone laws, legislation
December 30, 2008 by 14 Comments
Distracted driving news: A handheld cell phone ban took full effect Jan. 1, 2021. Primary enforcement. Fines are $75 for a first offense, then $150, then $300. The final bill (HB 614) signed by Gov. Brad Little was the same as one passed earlier by the Senate, but with a consideration for agriculture functions. "Remember lives are lost to this needless carnage on our roads and our highways," sponsor Sen. Chuck Winder told lawmakers before the vote on his original bill. The so-called "100 Deadliest Days" proved a bit less lethal in Idaho in 2020. 78 people died in crashes on Idaho's roads … [Read more...]
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