Distracted driving news: A hands-free law went into full effect in Virginia on Jan. 1, 2021. Virginia lawmakers approved the distracted driving bill with clear majorities and the governor has championed the new law. Fines are $125 for the first offense and then $250. There is a mandatory fine of $250 for violations in work zones. The DMV reports 1,907 convictions under the hands free law as of mid-summer 2021. State police report say they handed out more than 742 citations. Richmond's handheld cell phone went into full effect June 9, 2020. "It’s just not acceptable to use a cell phone … [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...]
Cell phone safety: Bet you didn’t know …
January 1, 2009 by 4 Comments
Cell phone safety would seem largely a matter of common sense. Pay attention, watch the road and you’ll arrive safely. But researchers who have been studying cell phone-related accidents since the 1990s say there are some surprising ways in which wireless phones endanger drivers, passengers and pedestrians. For example, the simple act of talking on a cell phone actually decreases the quality of visual information received and processed by the brain. Talk more and you see less! State legislators are increasingly mandating hands-free cell phone use for drivers. Hands-free devices such as … [Read more...]
Nevada: Cell phone laws, legislation
December 22, 2008 by 57 Comments
Cell, texting news: Assemblywoman Michelle Gorelow proposed a modification of the distracted driving laws permitting police to search a driver's cell phone to determine if it contributed to a crash. Allows for police use of a "investigative technology device" such as a textalyzer. Gorelow retreated in early March 2019 on a provision that if a driver refused to hand over the mobile phone, automatic license suspension goes into effect. The legislation was ignored, regardless. The next session begins Feb. 1, 2021. While the Highway Patrol notes that the state's distracted driving law is … [Read more...]
Mississippi: Cell phone laws, legislation
December 19, 2008 by 11 Comments
Cell phone/texting news: State Rep. Jill Ford resurrected her handheld cell phone measure for the 2022 session. HB 429 would outlaw use of cell phones for calling, texting or using the Internet unless used in hands-free mode. The offense would be a misdemeanor and carry a $500 fine. The plan was shot down last year in the Judiciary Committee. Another attempt perished in the pandemic-shortened session of 2020. Ford said she was "hopeful to get some momentum from law enforcement." Mississippi's statewide distracted driving law continues to allow use of cell phones by drivers, meaning the … [Read more...]
Recent Comments