A law increasing the number of points charged to a person’s driving record for violations of driving while using a cell phone went into effect on Monday.
Read the full storyTennessee Law Increasing the Penalties for Distracted Drivers Now in Effect
Tag: distracted driving
Governors Highway Safety Association Suggests Improvements to Prevent Accidents on Pennsylvania’s Rural Roads
Rural America has 20 percent of the country’s population and 46 percent of the nation’s car crashes. A lack of resources, both in cash and workers, poses a challenge to avoiding wrecks and deaths.
Though rural traffic studies have been of questionable quality, a new report from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) suggests broader cooperation to pool local resources, more public outreach, and better road design to curb collisions.
Read the full storyMichigan House OKs Distracted Driving Bills
The Michigan House approved a trio of bills that aim to require hands-free cellphone use.
The goal is to reduce distracted driving and fatalities.
Read the full storyDistracted Driving Bill Clears Ohio House
The Ohio House passed an amended version of a distracted driving bill Wednesday afternoon that makes texting and driving a primary offense.
The measure fell short of its original intent requiring hands-free use only of a cellphone by drivers.
Read the full storyPedestrian Deaths Increase in Georgia and Officials Blame Speeding and Distracted Driving
Georgia is increasingly dangerous for pedestrians, and a new analysis revealed the state outpaces the increase nationally.
In 2021, the number of pedestrian traffic fatalities in The Peach State increased by 45.6% from 2019 and 23.8% from 2020, according to an analysis from the Governors Highway Safety Association. But it’s not just a Georgia problem; the organization’s review found that the 7,485 pedestrian traffic deaths nationwide in 2021 was a 16.7% increase from 2019 and an 11.5% increase from 2020.
Read the full storyFlorida Dem Gubernatorial Candidate Nikki Fried’s Distracted Pot Mogul Fiancé, Jake Bergmann, Totals Car, Mailbox; No Charges Filed
The fiancé of Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried – Jake Bergmann – was distracted when on September 15, 2021 he drove his 2019 Ram 1500 Longhorn across the center-line of a two-lane road in northeast Tallahassee, destroying a neighbor’s $1,500 brick mailbox, according to a traffic crash report obtained by The Florida Capital Star.
The report indicated that debris from the crash was scattered west to east approximately 30 yards and the Ram truck was inoperable and towed from the scene. The photo of the vehicle after the incident shows massive damage to the front of the truck and, consistent with the police report, indicates that the air bags in the front seat were deployed.
The Florida Capital Star obtained documents related to the disposition of the truck which indicate that the vehicle was valued at $56,753 with a repair cost of $44,392.
The law enforcement official at the scene did not issue a ticket, charge or sanction Bergmann, the former CEO of Surterra Wellness.
Read the full storyNew Ohio Legislation Could Bar Use of Phones While Driving
Two Ohio representatives have introduced legislation that would bar Ohio drivers from holding a phone while driving, making Ohio a “hands-free” state.
Read the full storyOverview of Virginia’s Newest Laws in 2021
The new year is here at last and for Virginians throughout the Commonwealth, the arrival of 2021 means a number of laws passed by the General Assembly last year have now gone into effect and bring several important changes.
Here is an overview of some new laws that Virginians should know about.
Read the full storyHolding a Phone While Driving Will be Illegal in Virginia Come January
Virginia drivers who like to use their phone while behind the wheel will need to break that dangerous habit once the new year begins or be ready to cough up money.
Thanks to legislation passed by the General Assembly last spring, starting January 1st it will be illegal to hold a phone while driving in the Commonwealth.
Read the full storyStiffer Penalties Proposed for Ohio Motorists Who Use Mobile Devices While Driving
State lawmakers are pushing a new bill aimed at strengthening Ohio’s laws regarding the use of wireless devices and smartphones while driving.
Read the full storyBill Proposal Would Let Ohio Police Pull Over Drivers for Distracted Driving
Ohio State Rep. Mary Lightbody (D-Westerville) introduced a bill Monday that would let police pull over people who are using their phones or electronic devices while operating a vehicle. Currently, police can’t pull over people they see using their phones because it is a secondary offense. However, this bill would change that to a primary offense which would allow law enforcement to pull people over for distracted driving. “The number of drivers I see using their smartphones while driving continues to concern me, especially as they tend to drive erratically. This legislation will address the significant danger caused by drivers who drive under the influence of their electronic devices,” Rep. Lightbody said in a statement. Lightbody said constituent Sharon Montgomery approached her about this issue after Montgomery was in a “tragic” accident caused by distracted driving. Montgomery served on Governor Mike DeWine’s recent Task Force on Distracted Driving after becoming an expert on this topic. “More and more drivers are focused on electronic devices instead of traffic and vehicle operation, which puts us all at risk,” Montgomery said. “Representative Lightbody’s legislation will reduce that risk, and I am relieved that with her leadership, Ohio would join 37 other states…
Read the full storyDeWine Says Driving ‘While Eating’ Should Be as ‘Culturally Unacceptable’ as Drunk Driving
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced the formation of a permanent Distracted Driving Advisory Council Thursday. The council is aimed at changing the atmosphere surrounding safe driving in acknowledgment of safe driving month. “Driving while texting, or eating, or dialing a phone should be as culturally unacceptable as drunk driving is today,” said Governor DeWine; adding: When drivers choose to do anything that distracts them from paying full attention to the road, they choose to risk their own lives, the lives of their passengers, and the lives of everyone else around them. Prior to the announcement, the task force released a 22-page pamphlet to inform drivers about the risks they are taking while driving distracted. The pamphlet contained detailed statistics surrounding the causes of incidents. The study was conducted by the Ohio Department of transportation. “Now is the time to create a long-term, comprehensive plan that educates drivers, promotes changes in behavior, and strengthens Ohio’s distracted driving laws,” said DeWine. According to the study, the state recorded around 14,000 distracted driving crashes in 2017. Of those incidents 58 people were killed, 493 seriously injured and over 7,000 people were injured statewide. The study concluded the majority of crashes happen during evening…
Read the full storyTennessee House Says No to Holding Phone While Driving But Says Yes to Voice Use
The Tennessee House on Wednesday passed bill HB0164 banning drivers from using handheld phones. The bill tracking information is available here. The Senate companion bill, SB0173, was deferred on Tuesday in the Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee and now has a scheduled hearing date of April 23. The House passed the bill on a vote of 53-38, according to the Tennessee General Assembly’s website tracking information available here. Four representatives were counted as “present and not voting.” The House sponsor is State Rep. John B. Holsclaw Jr. (R-TN-04). The highly detailed bill “summary,” with amendments, is available on the tracking page. Among the provisions are that adults age 18 and up could use a device for GPS navigation as well as an earpiece, headphone or device on a wrist “to conduct a voice-based communication; and may use a one button on a wireless telecommunications device to initiate or terminate a voice communication.” The penalties would be: A violation of this amendment will be a Class C misdemeanor, subject only to imposition of a fine not to exceed $50.00. However, if the violation is the person’s third or subsequent offense or if the violation results in an accident, the fine…
Read the full storyBarbers Making House Calls One of Many Law Changes in 2018
Barbers may make house calls starting in 2018. That’s one of at least 16 changes to the Tennessee Code Annotated as of Jan. 1. According to the Tennessee Legislature, a change to TCA Title 62 will broaden “barbers’ ability to perform services in a residence from residences of persons who are actually ill to all residences regardless of the health of the person.” Barbers wishing to make house calls must earn a “residential barber certificate.” Barbers visiting clients’ homes is a national trend. The Hour reports on a new small business called Doorbell Barbers that has quickly gained traction in Norwalk, Connecticut, inspired by the Uber taxi business service. The Shelbyville Police Department posted on Facebook Dec. 18 regarding a new law governing the use of mobile phones in school zones. The updated law is a change to Tennessee Code Annotated 55-8-199: “It is an offense for a person to knowingly operate a motor vehicle in any marked school zone in this state, when a warning flasher or flashers are in operation, and talk on a hand-held mobile telephone while the vehicle is in motion.” The fine is not to exceed $50. The Legislature’s website adds that the law “makes it a…
Read the full storyTennessee Department of Transportation Says it ‘Needs’ $46 Million For Distracted Driver Programs
The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) has identified 15 projects in a budget category best described as “distracted driver programs” that will cost $46.4 million, part of the 962 total statewide transportation projects it has scheduled over the next 12 years at a total cost of $10.5 billion. All these projects will be built, TDOT says, provided the governor’s IMPROVE Act, which contains four state tax increases, including a 7-cent gas tax, a 12-cent diesel tax, $5 on motor vehicle registrations and 3 percent on rental cars, becomes law. The department categorized the 962 IMPROVE Act projects into eight program types: Interstate Modernization, Primary Trade Corridors, Rural Access, Safety, Urban Economic Opportunity, Highway and Facility Maintenance, Technology/Intelligent Transportation System, Local Bridges. “Through this process we have made decisions to include only ‘needs’ vs. ‘wants,’ ” Commissioner John Schroer said at the conclusion of the TDOT budget presentation for FY 2017-18. Among these ‘needs’ are the $46.4 million of projects within the “Technology/Intelligent Transportation System” category that is probably better described as “distracted driver programs.” According to SPOT, a TDOT interactive page (short for Statewide Project Overview Tracker), the program type “Technology/Intelligent Transportation System . . . [includes] TDOT’s cameras, overhead…
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