Jail time is no longer on the table as a maximum penalty as state lawmakers look to tighten Virginia's texting-while-driving law.
The Old Dominion is in line to increase the fines for such offenses, though, and to give law enforcement the power to stop drivers solely for texting.
House Bill 1907, which passed this week on a 92-4 vote and was supported by Del. Rob Krupicka, increases the fine upon conviction to $250 — up from $20 — for the first texting-while-driving offense and $500 for each subsequent conviction. The bill makes texting while driving an aggravating circumstance to reckless driving, and so anyone convicted such would face a mandatory minimum $500 penalty if they were texting while they were driving recklessly.
Further, texting while driving would constitute a primary offense, which means police can stop someone just on the suspicion that a driver's eyes and thumbs aren't where they should be.
"This is an important bill that will have a real impact on the health and safety of our children and citizens," state Del. Barbara Comstock, R-McLean, said in a statement. "…We need to continue to publicize this issue through public service announcements and education efforts as well as community efforts. We all know of dangerous and even deadly situations that have occurred from this increasing problem."
The bill was sponsored by Del. Richard Anderson, a Woodbridge Republican. Through the legislative process, it includes six other texting bills that had been proposed this year.
One, co-patroned by Del. Scott Surovell, a Mount Vernon Democrat, would have raised the offense of texting while driving to a Class 1 misdemeanor — putting it on par with reckless driving with penalties upon conviction of up to one year in jail and up to a $2,500 fine.
Surovell represented the family of a college student who was killed in 2011 by a man who authorities say was texting immediately before his vehicle struck the student on Leesburg Pike. The man was charged with reckless driving, but a Fairfax County judge threw that out, blaming the General Assembly for failing to distinguish texting from reckless driving.
http://delray.patch.com/articles/tougher-texting-while-driving-law-moves-forward-in-virginia-legislature-dbe2b8c2
As the debate continues over a bill to ban texting while driving, two lawmakers said today they are filing legislation to impose tougher penalties on motorists who cause fatal accidents while texting in their vehicles.
As the debate continues over a bill to ban texting while driving, two lawmakers said today they are filing legislation to impose tougher penalties on motorists who cause fatal accidents while texting in their vehicles.
Sen. Darren Soto, D-Orlando, and state Rep. Irv Slosberg, D-Boca Raton, want to have drivers who cause accidents while texting face the charge of vehicular homicide if the accidents results in a death. They said they are filing the legislation (SB 708) with the idea the potential penalty can be increased even if lawmakers don’t pass a driving-while-texting ban this year.
Sen. Darren Soto, D-Orlando, and state Rep. Irv Slosberg, D-Boca Raton, want to have drivers who cause accidents while texting face the charge of vehicular homicide if the accidents results in a death. They said they are filing the legislation (SB 708) with the idea the potential penalty can be increased even if lawmakers don’t pass a driving-while-texting ban this year.
http://politics.heraldtribune.com/2013/02/08/lawmakers-want-prison-time-for-texting-drivers-in-fatal-accidents/
A handful of bills would tackle texting while driving and other roadway concerns.
It can be seen virtually every turn: texting while driving and talking without hands-free devices.
Drivers are wondering if they will be the next victim of a distracted driver.
"I think it should be banned," said Kim Barrow. "I don't think texting and driving should be allowed. It's just too dangerous."
One is Senate Bill 52, which would put a ban on texting while driving.
The penalties would be a $30 fine for a first offense, $60 for a second offense within five years and for a texting violation that leads to a crash, six points on a drivers license.
Another bill would limit cellphone talking to hands-free devices and still another would only restrict those younger than 18 from using handheld devices of any kind.
Currently 33 other states have these rules.
"Your safety and the citizens here in central Florida is our No. 1 priority," said Seminole County Commission Chairman Bob Dalari.
So you may have noticed that MobiLoc is available for corporations but not for consumers. You may ask why? It is really quite straight forward. Apple will not allow it. Originally, two years ago, when MobileLutions released a consumer product, Apple approved the software and it was in the App store. If you look now, we have been taken out. Here is the issue.
Software such as MobiLoc needs to be able to see what the speed of the phone is and it must do so in the background. In other words, you can do what you want, until you reach a certain speed and then MobiLoc must deny you access to using the phone. All features MobileLutions can do with the iPhone. However to get in to the App Store, you must go through an Apple approval process. In this process you must adhere to a set of guidelines that Apple publishes and controls. On of these items states that you can not misuse the background location management feature of the iOS.
For some reason, Apple originally said we were okay and now have decided we are not. While we still can make and sell our software for corporations, since they live by different guidelines, Apple has decided to only allow background location services for applications like mapping.
Now there could be many reasons for this, but one issue is that location services requires battery use and next to video, is the very intensive. While MobileLutions has solved the battery usage issue, Apple still will not approve our app.
So there you have it. Now if you as a concerned parent want to use our technology the only way to do it is to jailbreak your phone. Not exactly a nice sounding option, but some new software has recently made this much easier to do. If you are interested, check out http://evasi0n.com/ and best of all it is free.
Shauna Halladay lost control of her Isuzu Rodeo last Halloween, crossed the median and ramped into the air before striking and killing a Las Cruces mother and her 15-year-old son.
A year earlier, Clarence G. Boulanger was killed in an accident in Alamogordo involving NMSU basketball player Emery D. Coleman.
The unifying factor in both cases are allegations that the drivers causing the crashes were texting at the time. Criminal charges alleging texting while driving were filed against Coleman, and are under consideration in the Halladay case.
Meanwhile, the New Mexico Legislature has again turned a blind eye to the carnage.
On Wednesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee effectively killed a bill that would have banned texting. Our lone representative on the committee, newly elected Sen. Joseph Cervantes, had the good sense to support the bill.
But other senators got sidetracked on issues of privacy and police abuse. The law would give police authority to snoop into private emails, some argued. It would lead to abuse by law enforcement officers, others claimed.
http://www.lcsun-news.com/las_cruces-opinion/ci_22555058/our-view-tragic-crashes-show-need-ban-texting
The Fourth of July is a time for celebration, but it is also the single most dangerous day of the year to be on the road.
According to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, the Fourth of July is the deadliest day of the year on the road in the United States. More than 800 people were killed on the road on July 4 between 2006 and 2010. An average of 140 traffic-related fatalities occur on July 4 each year, and teens make up 10% of these deaths. You might think on a holiday like the Fourth of July, alcohol would be the main cause of fatal teen car accidents—but it’s not. Distracted driving, especially texting and driving, is the number one factor. And the Fourth isn’t the only dangerous day—the 100 deadliest days for teen drivers run from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Although distracted driving increases crash risk, teenage drivers are likely to engage in distracting activities such as texting and driving. Texting or talking on a cell phone while driving significantly impairs a driver’s ability to react to road conditions. The number of teens who died in car crashes last year increased for the first time in eight years. The tragedy of these deaths is amplified by the fact that deaths caused by distracted driving are preventable.
If you are a parent of a teenager, knowing the dangers of distracted driving is the first step to prevent texting and driving. Talking to your teen is next.
- Make sure your teen knows the consequences of texting and driving. Only 60% of teens know that texting and driving is just as dangerous as drinking and driving. Distractions while driving such as texting create a greater crash risk for all drivers and especially for teenage drivers.
- Remind teens that texts do not demand immediate responses. Almost all teens (89%) expect a reply to a text in less than five minutes. However, just because their friends expect a reply does not mean that it is okay to text and drive. The only acceptable time to respond to a text is once they have arrived at their destination.
- Monitor your teen’s driving. Know when your teen is driving and when he or she is riding with ther teenagers. Set clear rules and enforce consequences. Take away driving privileges if your teen is texting and driving.
Finally, set an example for your teenager. Although 77% of adults tell their teens not to text and drive, 41% of teenagers report watching their parents read or send texts while driving. Leading by example will make your teen more likely to follow your rules.
With more than half of the 100 most dangerous days of driving yet to come this year, the time to talk to your teen is now.
Would you encourage or even expect your employees to engage in a behavior that put them at four-times-greater risk of injury? Probably not. You also probably didn’t know that people who talk on their cell phones while driving are four times more likely to be involved in an injury-causing crash.
Cell phones are an ever-present part of the modern business world. That isn’t going to change anytime soon. The need to connect instantly and make decisions quickly renders the use of cell phones necessary for businesses to maintain a competitive edge. But with an increasingly mobile workforce, cell phones pose safety concerns for employers.
Texting and talking on cell phones while driving is a factor in 28% of crashes. Not only should employers be concerned for the safety of their employees, they should also be concerned about the enormous cost stemming from crashes. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an on-the-job crash costs an employer more than $24,000 and can grow to $125,000 if there are any injuries.
Employer policies can reduce the risks of using cell phones while driving. A recent survey reveals that 80% of companies have a cell phone policy in place—but is that enough? If your employees use cell phones for work, you should have a policy that prohibits them from using the phone while driving.
Your company’s policy can be tailored to your risk management needs, but here are a few basic things to include:
- You may not use a cell phone (company-issued or personal) while driving a company vehicle.
- You may not use a company-issued cell phone while driving a personal vehicle.
- You may not use a personal cell phone for anything work-related while driving any vehicle (company-issued or personal).
- Using a cell phone includes making and answering phone calls, listening to voicemails, reading and responding to text messages, and reading and responding to e-mails.
- You must pull over to a safe place if you must use the cell phone before you reach your destination.
- Modify your voicemail greeting to indicate that you are unavailable to answer calls or return messages while driving.
- Inform clients, associates, and business partners of the policy to explain why you may not return calls immediately.
Your specific cell phone policy should be crafted to be thorough enough to protect both you and your employees in all possible situations.
Simply telling people to stop texting, talking, or emailing on their cell phones while driving isn’t working.
A recent AAA survey of American drivers found that 95% of people think that it is dangerous for other people to text and drive. Why, then, do a third of those same people admit to texting while driving themselves?
Clearly, it is pointless to expect that merely telling people to stop is going to solve the problem of distracted driving. So what’s the next step?
The most effective solution is to create laws against using a cell phone while driving and to consistently reinforce those laws. Currently, 39 states and the District of Columbia have laws that prohibit all drivers from texting while driving. All but four of these states have primary enforcement, which means an officer may stop and cite a driver for texting without any other violation of traffic laws. What about the other eleven states? Some have laws that prohibit specific groups from texting behind the wheel. For example, some states, including Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas, prohibit novice drivers from texting while driving. Other states do not allow school bus drivers to text behind the wheel.
And texting isn’t the only violation. Ten states, D.C., Guam, and the Virgin Islands prohibit all drivers from using handheld cell phones at all while driving. All laws are primary enforcement, except for in Maryland and West Virginia. No state has banned all cell phone use for all drivers, but 32 states and D.C. have banned all cell phone use for novice drivers. Also, 19 states and D.C. prohibit school bus drivers from any cell phone use when passengers are present.
Cell phone bans enacted—check. Not so fast. If states want the laws to be effective, the most critical step is enforcement. Other traffic safety issues, including speeding, wearing seatbelts, and driving under the influence, demonstrate that the most effective way to change a driver’s behavior is through consistent enforcement of the laws.
Enforcing cell phone and texting laws sends the message that the law is important, and it may be the only way to get drivers to put down their cell phones and focus on the road. An AT&T online survey showed that the biggest deterrents for teen drivers deciding whether to send or read texts while driving are tougher laws and fines and license suspension. For the safety of everyone on the roads, it is up to each state to enforce the current laws prohibiting cell phone use and texting while driving. It may be one of those things that people have to learn “the hard way,” but that might be what it takes to put an end to distracted driving.
Did you know that texting while driving takes your eyes off the road for an average of 5 seconds per message? At a speed of 55 miles per hour, that’s like driving the length of a football field without looking at the road. Scary thought, right?
In today’s fast-paced world, many drivers consider texting while driving to be a practical way to multitask. However, distracted drivers are 23 times more likely to be involved in a crash, which shows just how dangerous texting and driving is. Texting and driving is a potentially deadly combination—even deadlier than drunk driving. Cell phone use is reported as a source of distraction in 18% of fatal distracted-driving-related crashes.
If you are part of the 60% of drivers who admit to using a cell phone while driving, here are some tips to stop yourself from texting behind the wheel:
-Put your phone away. Before you start driving, put your phone where you won’t be able to get to it. Place it in the glove compartment or lock it in the trunk. No phone = no texting.
-Turn your phone to silent mode. If you don’t hear your phone, you won’t have to worry about the temptation to respond to text messages you receive while driving. Wait until you arrive at your destination to check your phone.
-Pass your phone to a passenger. We’ve all heard of a designated driver, but what about having a designated texter? Allow your passenger’s thumbs to act as your own. Have your passenger send and respond to text messages while you are behind the wheel.
-There’s an app for that. Download an app to disable your phone from sending or receiving text messages while your car is in motion. For instance, MobiLoc™ blocks the normal operation of a cell phone while it is in motion. Once the app is downloaded and installed, the texting, email, Facebook, Twitter, and Internet browsing capabilities of your phone are disabled when the phone reaches 10 miles per hour. (Passengers have the ability to use the passenger override function to unlock the phone for 15-minute increments while the car is in motion.)
Distractions such as texting create a greater crash risk for all drivers. Keep these tips in mind so we can make the roads safer for everyone. No text is worth your life—or anyone else’s.
It seems like a no-brainer. Companies want to reduce the risk of their employees being involved in any type of accident. Not only do companies want to protect their employees and others from injury, but they also strive to mitigate the cost and the bad publicity that accompany such accidents. There is a simple way to reduce dramatically the number of motor vehicle crash-related injuries and deaths: create a total ban policy for cell phone use while driving.
Research has shown that using cell phones and driving makes drivers four times more likely to be involved in a crash. This creates a real risk for employers. Many Fortune 500 companies, including UPS, DuPont, Chevron, CSX, Shell, and Time Warner, have moved to implement a total ban on employee cell phone use while driving. Considering the risk, why wouldn’t all companies jump on this trend?
One of the most common reasons for avoiding a total ban policy is the concern that productivity will decrease. Some employers choose to exempt some employees such as field sales teams from their cell phone policy due to productivity concerns. However, these employees have the same crash risk as any other driver, which increases fourfold when a cell phone is involved.
Among companies with policies that ban all cell phone use while driving, productivity decreases are rare:
- A 2009 survey of 469 National Safety Council members that had implemented total cell phone bans revealed that only 1% reported decreases in productivity.
- A 2010 survey of Fortune 500 companies that had implemented total cell phone bans showed that only 7% said productivity had decreased after the ban, but 19% said productivity had actually increased.
- Although employees at AMEC, an international engineering firm, expected productivity to decrease after the implementation of a total cell phone ban, 96% reported productivity stayed the same or increased.
It seems that employees are able to adapt resiliently to new policy expectations regarding cell phones and maintain or even increase their productivity levels. In addition, customers and others outside the company respond positively to total ban policies. We all share the roads, and companies have an obligation to protect their employees and others from harm.
The evidence is clear that cell phone bans are not likely to decrease productivity. In fact, companies may actually see increases in productivity due to total cell phone bans. Companies are rewarded for their commitment to the best safety practices, because safety is ultimately good business.