California fatalities linked to handheld cell phone use fell by almost half following enactment of the state's ban on use of the wireless devices while driving, a new study indicates. In the two years following the July 2008 adoption of the distracted driving law, handheld cell phone driver deaths decreased 47 percent, the Safe Transportation Research and Education Center (SafeTREC) at the University of California, Berkeley, found. Similar reductions occurred in the number of injuries, as well as deaths associated with cell phone use with hands-free accessories, SafeTREC said. Overall, … [Read more...]
Comedy of errors in Arizona’s House
March 5, 2012 by 3 Comments
Long resistant to distracted driving laws, Arizona's House appeared to have a sudden change of heart. Representatives approved a statewide ban on text messaging while driving. For a few minutes, anyway. An outbreak of common sense? An awakening to the deadly toll of electronic distracted driving? Hardly. Turns out the reps were just doing their Keystone Cops imitation. A swarm of legislators weren't paying attention days earlier when Rep. Steve Urie added his texting ban language to HB 2125, an unrelated bill concerning accident reporting. After approving the texting/accident reporting … [Read more...]
3 new distracted driving laws
October 1, 2011 by 1 Comment
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...]
U.S. cell phone, texting laws at a glance
December 3, 2008 by 22 Comments
An up-to-date listing of cell phone and texting restrictions across the States. Click on the state's name to view a full report on its distracted driving laws and pending legislation. Alabama: Handheld cell phone use and text messaging while driving illegal for anyone driving in the state of Alabama. Secondary enforcement. Alaska: Drivers are banned from text-messaging or watching videos. Arizona: Handheld cell phone use barred. School bus operators prohibited from using cell phones while driving. Arkansas: All drivers prohibited from text messaging. Drivers under 18 may not use … [Read more...]
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