"No officer, I was just typing directions into my GPS…"
Texting while driving is dangerous, but some people do it anyway. This year, Virginia's General Assembly passed a measure that increased the fine to $125 (it was $20) for the first infraction and $250 for the second. But Virginia legislators did not pass a hands-free measure like they have in the District, and as such enforcing the law could prove difficult. The problem: Using cell phones to dial a number or setting the phone GPS is legal. “Distracted driving is a big problem, but it’s bigger than just phone use,” said Russ Rader of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, to the Washington Post. “Even if a law were successful in stopping phone use and texting, it wouldn’t eliminate distracted driving.” Northern Virginia Del. Scott …
Bill would impose harsher penalties, make texting while driving a primary offense.
A bill that would impose tougher penalties on those convicted of texting while driving cleared the state Senate on Tuesday and now heads to the desk of Gov. Bob McDonnell. Del. Tom Rust's (R-86) House Bill 1357, which also addressed texting while driving and made it a primary offense, was incorporated into the bill last week. Rust said texting while driving is reckless behavior, and "committing another reckless, dangerous act shouldn't be required to stop the first." The bill increases the fine to $250 — up from $20 — for the first texting-while-driving offense and $500 for each subsequent conviction. It also makes texting while driving an aggravating circumstance to reckless driving, and so anyone convicted of such would face a mandatory…
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12:31 pm on Saturday, February 23, 2013
Why we need a bill to prohibit texting, eating, reading a newspaper, putting on makeup, watching tv while driving is beyond me. Anyone stupid enough to engage in those activities are candidates for the Darwin award. Unfortunately they usually take some innocent person with them when they become award candidates. Fines are not enough, they should forfeit their driving privileges for a long long … more ›
Senate panel OKs tougher penalties for texting while driving.
Proposed bill would elevate penalty for texting while driving to include possible jail time and up to $2,500 fine.
A bill introduced in the Virginia General Assembly would make texting while driving a more serious offense — and the penalties upon conviction would be up to one year in jail and up to a $2,500 fine. It's not the first time such a measure has been proposed. But advocates say a recent court ruling that differentiates texting while driving from reckless driving should give them the support they need to get the bill through the General Assembly this year. "There's usually about 10 texting bills a year, and they usually all get killed," said state Del. Scott Surovell, D-Mount Vernon. "This year, something's going to change." The House bill would essentially elevate texting while driving to a primary offense, which means police could stop …
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12:09 am on Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Who cares what the UK does. High fine for texting and for not using hands free. more ›
NTSB says US should clamp down on communicating in moving cars.
The National Transportation Safety Board said on Tuesday that texting, emailing or chatting while driving is simply too dangerous to be allowed anywhere in the United States. The board is urging all states to impose total bans except for emergencies following recent deadly crashes, including one in Missouri after a teenager sent or received 11 text messages within 11 minutes. Currently, 35 states and the District of Columbia ban texting while driving, while nine states and Washington, D.C., bar hand-held cellphone use. Thirty states ban all cellphone use for beginning drivers. In Virginia, cell phones are allowed, but texting while driving is banned. But enforcement is generally not a high priority, and no states ban the use of hands-free …
4:14 pm on Wednesday, December 14, 2011
They can ban it all they want - people will still do it. Everyday there are at least 5 drivers on the Toll Road texting while driving - swerving, slow speed, etc. It scares the heck out of me. How does this get enforced? Honestly, I didn't know it was banned in VA & apparently neither do any of the drivers that I encounter daily. more ›
T Ailshire
8:30 am on Thursday, April 18, 2013
Obviously, you've operated under two assumptions I believe are flawed. First, I have personally observed police officers - not "glancing" at their laptops, but head turned toward it and 6-10 seconds when AT BEST they had peripheral eyes on the road. I have been the vehicle immediately behind said officers on more than one occasion. It follows if I have observed it on more than one occasion this … more ›