A rewrite of California's electronic distracted driving laws has cleared the Legislature and been sent to Gov. Jerry Brown. The bill from Assemblyman Bill Quirk, left, was designed to simplify and expand the state's distracted driving laws by recasting its ban on texting & driving. Update: The governor signed Quirk's measure into law Sept. 26. /update. AB 1785's wording, inspired by a court ruling, places the focus on use of the handheld electronic device itself, rather than the activity (such as text messaging). It is designed to get mobile devices out of drivers' … [Read more...]
Mississippi’s Facebook face-plant
March 10, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Mississippi appears ready to leave the ranks of states with toothless distracted driving laws, by finally approving a texting & driving bill that includes all motorists, regardless of age. Great news. Perhaps Mississippi will get off that rogue's roundup of states with the lamest traffic laws, prepared annually by the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety group. But it'll go kicking and screaming from our "dumb-and-dumber states" list. The plan sent to the governor March 10 includes a curious ban on handheld use of "social networking sites" -- meaning only those web sites on which users … [Read more...]
Mississippi OKs texting & driving law
March 10, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant has signed legislation banning texting by all drivers. It goes into effect July 1. His state had beem among the few remaining in the U.S. without a strong texting & driving law. House Bill 389 -- given final approval by the Legislature on March 10 -- also would outlaw social media use by drivers, but does not address cell phone use by drivers. Fines would begin at $25 but go up to $100 in summer 2016. (Updated with governor signing.) The final Senate vote in favor of HB 389 was nearly unanimous, with three senators voting against the plan. The House … [Read more...]
Ohio’s primary enforcement push
October 15, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Ohio legislators are being asked to rush through a toughening of the state's texting law before their two-year session ends in under two months. State Rep. Rex Damschroder, author of the state's 2013 texting law, seeks to upgrade the ban to primary enforcement, meaning police can stop and cite all drivers for that offense alone. Currently, only teen drivers are subject to primary enforcement. Secondary enforcement has been widely cited by Ohio law enforcement as a reason the texting law is ineffectual -- a common complaint in states with that limit on distracted driving laws. Police … [Read more...]
Fla. governor gets texting bill
May 2, 2013 by Leave a Comment
In a first for Florida, a distracted driving bill has emerged from the Legislature. The state Senate gave final approval Thursday to a plan that would outlaw text messaging while driving in Florida. (Update: The bill signing is set for May 28. The law will go into effect Oct. 1.) The bill, however, calls for secondary enforcement, preventing police from issuing tickets unless another offense is observed, such as weaving or missing a stop sign. It does not address cell phones. Interviewed Monday, Gov. Rick Scott dodged the direct question of whether he would sign the texting … [Read more...]
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