Oklahoma's 1-year-old ban on texting while driving has paid off, an analysis by the state Highway Safety Office suggests. At the anniversary of the state's texting & driving law, statistics show reductions in distraction-related events across the board: in total crashes linked to distractions, injury and non-injury crashes, and in fatalities. The Oklahoma texting law went into effect Nov. 1, 2015. (Oklahoma at the time was one of the few remaining states without a ban on text messaging by all drivers.) Studies of the effectiveness of handheld device laws have produced mixed results … [Read more...]
Brown OKs new Calif. distracted driving law
September 26, 2016 by 1 Comment
California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a rewrite of the state's distracted driving laws. The act's sponsor, Assemblyman Bill Quirk, celebrated the overhaul of what he called the state's "archaic laws" regarding use of portable electronic devices while driving. Brown, left, who did not comment on the measure, had vetoed several efforts to increase punishments for electronic distracted driving. Quirk's legislation, AB 1785, did not increase penalties. "This bill targets the deadliest cause of distracted driving-related crashes, the use of an electronic device while driving," Quirk said … [Read more...]
Britain to double mobile phone fines
September 17, 2016 by 1 Comment
Britain's new government is following up tough talk on electronic distracted driving with a doubling of penalties for handheld mobile phone use. The new punishments, still being finalized, will be be at least £200 and 6 points vs. the driver's license, officials says. They will take effect in the first half of next year, the Department for Transport said. The moves are spearheaded by new Transport Secretary Chris Grayling, left, who was appointed by Prime Minister Theresa May. Distracted drivers "could kill and cause untold misery to others," Grayling said in a statement Sept. 17. "I … [Read more...]
Louisiana texting fines now start at $500
June 15, 2016 by 27 Comments
Distracted drivers in Louisiana will see significantly higher penalties for texting or social media use while behind the wheel. Gov. John Bel Edwards on June 13 signed into law legislation that establishes $500 fines for first-time offenders of the state texting law, a penalty that will double for serial offenders. Minors will pay higher fines as well. Louisiana's new distracted driving penalties go into effect immediately. Senate Bill 91 (Act 472) comes from state Sen. Yvonne Colomb. The full Senate approved the bill in mid-April and the House followed at the end of May. Louisiana … [Read more...]
Book targets ‘phony traffic laws’
June 14, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Al Cinamon is a frequent commenter on this web site. He maintains that our current crop of traffic laws is phony. They actually encourage distracted driving, he says. Now Cinamon has published his opinions in the book "What You Don't Know About Driving Can Get You Killed!" Cinamon, a driving instructor for more than 50 years, says the book targets "fables and fairy tales." The book is an exposé divided into two parts: Part 1 deals with "phony traffic laws that can get you killed" and Part 2 reveals "bad driving habits that can get you killed." In Part 1, he attacks the cell-phone and … [Read more...]
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