Texting, cell phone news: Maine legislators rejected a 2023 plan to hike fines for handheld device use by drivers to the highest in the nation. Rep. Stanley Paige Zeigler wanted to see fines from $500 to $1,000, followed by a temporary loss of license. He said the attention-getting plan was suggested by a firefighter. Lawmakers noted the state's hands-free law and its penalties were relatively new and needed time to work. Maine's handheld cell phone legislation dates back to September 2019. Fines range from $50 (first offense) to $250. An earlier version of the law was approved by … [Read more...]
South Dakota: Cell phone laws, legislation
June 24, 2008 by 2 Comments
Distracted driving news: A new electronic distracted driving law took effect July 1, 2020. The new law bars many uses of electronic devices while driving, but allows for some phone-related activity and limited GPS use. It classifies offenses as a Class 2 misdemeanors, which come with fines as high as $500 and possible jail time. Primary enforcement. The governor signed off on state Rep. Doug Barthel's distracted driving measure in late March. The previous texting & driving law registers was a petty offense and limited to secondary enforcement. Gov. Kristi Noem did not take a position on the … [Read more...]
Hands-free tech: the basics
June 15, 2008 by Leave a Comment
Yes, you'll look like an extra on "Star Trek." No, people will not think you're hip or cutting-edge. In fact, you just may be mistaken for a crazy person. The Bluetooth era has begun in earnest, as California's car culture is forced into buying hands-free devices in order to continue using cellular phones in their vehicles. The California cell phone laws went into effect July 1, 2008. State after state, we'll see drivers confronting the same prohibitions on yakking while motoring. There are, of course, lower-priced options to Bluetooth's 100 percent wireless technology, such as … [Read more...]
Vermont: Cell phone, texting driving laws
January 1, 2008 by 4 Comments
Distracted driving update: Roadway deaths in Vermont remain near peak levels, officials said at the end of 2021. At least 73 people died on the state's streets and highways. Almost half were intoxicated and a third were speeding. A law enforcement official said distracted driving continued to be "a leading cause" of the fatalities. The previous decade's average was 71.5 deaths. A ban on drivers' use of handheld cell phones went into effect in Vermont in fall 2014. First offenders see fines of up to $200 but no points unless the violation occurs in a work zone (2 points vs. driver's … [Read more...]
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