The state of Florida is getting tough on distracted commercial drivers.  Earlier this week, the Governor signed a Highway Safety Bill that makes it illegal for bus drivers, truckers, and other commercial vehicle operators to use a handheld cellphone to talk or text.  Hands-free devices will still be allowed.  In addition to issuing a whopping $500 citation to the drivers responsible for the transgression, fleet operators would also be susceptible to a $2,750 ticket.  That latter number could increase to $11,000 if a driver is ticketed three times.  The Department of Transportation and the Florida Truckers Association back the measure, which brings Florida in line with federal guidelines for commercial driving.

For more about the measure, follow this link.

Illinois could soon become the latest state to ban all handheld cellphone usage at the wheel.  The House voted for the second time on a bill that would outlaw that type of behavior throughout the state, and once again, the measure passed.  Although lawmakers in that legislative body previously okayed the bill, the Senate added an amendment about first offenses not being designated as a moving violation, and thus the House had to vote anew.  Now, despite the protestations of some who argued that the bill unfairly targets only one type of distraction, the bill will head to the Governor for a signature.  If he agrees to sign it, drivers can expect to face a $75 fine if they commit the offense.

For more about the law’s passage, click here.

Illinois has drawn closer to joining the list of states that have banned all handheld cellphone usage at the wheel.  Yesterday, the measure received the approval of the State Senate, paving the way for the bill to be heard anew in front of the House.  The matter was previously approved by that legislative body, but because the Senate amended the measure to state that first offenses can’t be designated as a moving violation, the House must conduct another vote.  If passed and signed by the Governor, offenders can expect to face a $75 fine.  70 localities throughout the state have already put their own bans on cellphone driving on the books, but such a statewide ban would make Illinois the 12 state to pass such a measure.

For more information, click here.

Earlier this week, the Governor of Hawaii affixed his signature to a bill making it illegal to use a cellphone or any other type of electronic device at the wheel throughout the state, a move that was praised by the Governors Highway Safety Association.  Another measure signed by the Governor made it illegal for persons in backseats to not wear a seatbelt.  Although distraction was already targeted by county lawmakers and enforcement officials, the thought was that this type of unifying law will simplify matters and make the roads safer as a whole.  The measure makes Hawaii the 40th state to ban texting and driving and the 11th state to make cellphone usage illegal.

Click here for more about the law.

The city of Evanston, Illinois has been able to report a marked reduction in the number of motor vehicle collisions which have occurred since a ban on cellphone usage at the wheel was put into place.  Enactment of the law occurred in 2010, and from 2009 to now, injurious crashes have decreased in the city by 14.5%.  One city officlas points not just to the law but to the efforts of police to crack down on distracted drivers as a reason for the measure’s success.  Illinois as a whole does not ban cellphone driving at this point, but various cities have enacted their own measures barring a statewide ban.

For more information, follow this link.

The state of Missouri currently only bans texting among drivers that are under the age of 21, but that would change if lawmakers give their approval to a proposed ban that would extend the law to include all age ranges.  In addition to that ban, legislators are also mulling a bill that would outlaw handheld cellphone usage of all sorts.  The need for such an all-encompassing ban was highlighted by a report out of St. Louis which showed scant enforcement of the current ban against texting.  Although 70 citations have been handed out throughout the state, St. Louis County officers have only been able to cite one driver since the ban was enacted.

Click here to learn more.

The city of Indianapolis, reeling from the recent death of a city employee, is looking into the potential adoption of a policy that would prohibit drivers of city vehicles from using their cellphones behind the wheel.  Right now, Indianapolis apparently only bans such workers from using their cellphones if the cellphone itself is property of the city.  That policy has been reviewed for awhile now, and the Public Works Department feels that extending the language to include even privately-owned cellphones would be an important move in protecting the drivers of the 3,000 or so city-owned vehicles and the people they share the road with.

For more about this potential policy, click here.

Recently, an appeals court upheld a distracted driving ruling that defined California’s mobile electronic ban as including GPS usage at the wheel.  A Fresno man had been pulled over for using the map function on his phone in a bid to get around a traffic snarl, but he attempted to fight the ticket in court.  After the court ruled against him, he took the matter to the Fresno County Superior Court, where he once again was on the losing side.  The judge ruled that, because the law singles out usage of a wireless device that isn’t hands-free, the individual was guilty even though he wasn’t caught texting or chatting on his cellphone.  Now, the citizen plans to take his case to the 5th District Court of Appeal.

For more information, click here.

Texas lawmakers are considering a ban on texting while driving, but in the meantime, they’re also pursuing a measure that would outlaw cellphone usage at the wheel whenever drivers find themselves in a school zone.  The House voted to pass the bill yesterday.  The ban applies to public elementary, junior high, and middle schools,  Private schools are not affected, nor are high schools, the thought being that high schoolers driving themselves to school are largely already prohibited from using their cellphones at the wheel.  The bill was created after concerns arose that parents were being inattentive when picking up and dropping off their kids.

For more about the measure, click here.

In Burley, Idaho, the City Council has agreed to a measure that will outlaw cellphone usage at the wheel, but only among those persons who are employees of the city.  A previous policy against such cellphone usage was already in place, but there were apparently issues with enforcement that hindered its viability.  Under the new policy, workers employed by the city found to be in violation of the safety measure will be disciplined for the act.  The ban on cellphone usage does not extend to two-way radios, as it was believed that these aren’t typically used for personal calls but that business might need to be conducted through such a means.  Idaho currently doesn’t have a cellphone ban in place, so anyone else in Burley can still use their handheld phones.

To learn more about the policy, click here.

The state of Maryland is getting tough on distracted driving.  Although cellphone usage at the wheel is already illegal, a person can’t be pulled over for that violation alone because it has been designated as a secondary offense.  But the state’s Senate and the House of Delegates have passed a measure that would change that and make texting and talking on a cellphone a primary offense.  The law will now have to receive the signature of the Governor before it obtains passage.  A $75 fine will be assessed against those persons who commit an offense for the first time, a number which increases by $50 for each additional time the person is caught.

For more about the law, follow this link.

The state of New York is in the midst of approving a budget for the coming year, and if the current proposal is passed, the fines that citizens could expect to pay if they get caught texting or talking on a cellphone while at the wheel would increase.  At the moment, the fine levied against offenders is open to a wide amount of discretion, and thus although there is a maximum penalty of $150, there is not a minimum fine.  If the current budget deal is agreed upon by lawmakers, though, New Yorkers caught texting or chatting would have to pay at least $50.  The $150 maximum would also fall by the wayside for subsequent offenders, who could end up paying as much as $400 if caught in the act again.

To learn more, click here.

We just reported that New Jersey is ratcheting up the fines one can expect to pay if they text and drive or use their cellphones at the wheel.  But they’re not the only state getting tough on the practice.  Maryland is pursuing a similar action, with the state’s House opting yesterday to approve a measure that would make their current ban far stricter.  Not only could potential fines escalate to as much as $500, but a cellphone violation would also be considered a primary offense, meaning that no other violation would have to be committed for a traffic stop to take place.  Currently, it’s only a secondary offense.  The Senate will now have to make a decision on the matter.

To learn more, follow this link.

New Jersey drivers could soon find themselves paying a significant price if they insist on breaking the state’s bans on talking on a cellphone and texting at the wheel.  That’s because the Assembly has voted nearly unanimously to approve a bill that would raise the current base fine from $100 to $200, with the potential for such an offense to cost as much as $400.  For repeat offenders, the cost could be even higher.  A second violation carries a price tag of $400 to $600, while those who still don’t get the message and are caught a third time will have to pay as much as $800.  Those persons could also see their licenses taken away for 90 days and have three points assessed against them.  The Governor will have to affix his signature to the bill before it becomes law.

Follow this link to learn more.

In Hawaii, the stage appears to be set for a ban on cellphone usage at the wheel to receive passage at the state level.  Currently, Hawaii is made up of counties that each have their own ban on the habit, but the exact language of the law varies depending on the county in question.  If a state law gets passed, it could supersede any existing laws, potentially eliminating any confusion among travelers driving from one county to another.  Two Senate committees have given the measure the go-ahead, paving the way for a second reading in front of the full Senate and a debate by the Ways and Means Committee.  A desire to acquire federal funding has prompted some to more fervently seek out the passage of a cellphone ban.

Click here for more information.

Illinois may soon join the ranks of those states that disallow all forms of cellular communication that require one’s hands to manipulate.  The state’s House recently voted to approve a measure that would make talking on a cellphone at the wheel a citable offense.  At the moment, the state has only gone so far as to ban texting, even though various cities within the state have passed their own laws in regards to the matter.  The Senate will now take up the bill, and proponents seem fairly certain that it will garner the votes necessary for passage.  Those voting against the bill argued that it intrudes upon the personal lives and responsibilities of drivers.

Click here for more information.

Police in the city of Dixon are teaming up with other law enforcement entities throughout Sacramento and nearby environs in order to crack down on cellphone usage behind the wheel.  For two weeks starting Monday, dozens of police agencies plan to conduct an operation which aims to determine the best ways to catch texters and cellphone users in the act of a violation.  The event aims to take those processes deemed effective and apply them across the country.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has provided the grant that enables this project to be carried out, and the state’s Highway Patrol and Office of Traffic Safety are also teaming up to make sure things go smoothly.  Drivers can expect zero tolerance if they’re caught engaging in the dangerous practice.

For more about the operation, click here.

In Oregon, the state’s Senate Judiciary Committee recently gave its approval to a bill that would increase the penalty one would expect to pay if they were shown to be in breach of the state’s cellphone driving ban.  This looked to pave the way for the bill to be voted upon by the Senate, but that apparently won’t happen now, at least right away.  The Committee has reclaimed the bill, meaning that more debate will be held before a vote is allowed.  It’s thought that the more than $100,000 fiscal effect of the bill means that a joint budget committee has to make a decision on the proposal before a vote can be held by Senate and House lawmakers.  In the meantime, lawmakers are expected to use the time extension to explore alternatives to the ban.

Click here for more information about the reclamation.

Cleveland is considering a law that would designate cellphone driving as a primary offense, meaning that an officer could pull a person over for that reckless action alone.  The measure, which would penalize the offender with a minimum $100 fine, has received the approval of the legislative committee of the Cleveland City Council.  It will now go in front of the finance committee.  If the bill ends up receiving the approval of council members, it would take only a month before drivers would be subject to the measure.  Persons on bikes would not be affected by the law, nor would emergency workers in the midst of their shifts.  The state’s Highway Patrol figures that more than 7,000 crashes in Cuyahoga County could be attributed to distracted driving, and lawmakers hope this bill could cut that number down to size.

For more information, follow this link.

Oregon may soon get a lot tougher on distracted driving.  A law that would increase the penalties one could expect to pay if they’re caught using their cellphone in any manner at the wheel has just received the approval of the Senate Judiciary Committee.  The measure will now be up for a vote by the State Senate.  Persons who disagree with the bill say that current laws may already cover such behaviors, and some wish that the law would cover all distracting behaviors.  But supporters point to the apparent message that passing this stricter bill would send as a reason for why the law is needed.  Last year saw a whopping 22,892 drivers convicted for using their cellphones, which is up from 40 in 2008.  The bill as it stands would designate cellphone driving as a Class B traffic infraction costing between $260 and $1,000, depending on the driver’s track record.

Click here for more information.