New Law - No Texting While Driving - No Cell Phones For Teens

[Henry]

If you text while you drive it's soon going to cost you.

Vermont lawmakers have reached an agreement on legislation that bans texting while driving for drivers of any age.

The distracted driving law will be implemented this summer and the regulations will be even stricter for teens. They'll be prohibited from using any electronic devices while driving, such as cell phones, and police will be able to pull them over for not wearing a seat belt.

The texting while driving bill appeared to have hit a road block because the House wanted to ban the use of hand-held cell phones for all drivers, but late Tuesday lawmakers struck a deal after the Senate agreed to include more stringent restrictions for young drivers.

Gov. Jim Douglas supports the ban, and while he wasn't in favor of the harsh regulations for adult drivers, he's reportedly on board with the new bill.

http://www.wcax.com/global/story.asp?s=12428351

[MikeF9]

Yeah, right. Like it's going to stop them.
There's also a law about drinking and driving. Doesn't stop some people.

[Henry]

My old cell phone in the car had auto answering and was completely hands free.  I found I could respond to it just like it was someone talking to me in the passenger seat next to me.  At the end of the conversation it would hang up.  I don't believe that type of a cell phone would be too distracting.

The phone I have now, I carry in my pocket.  I don't get a lot of calls and I know that if it rings it is either Maryann or Mary Kay calling me and they know that I will not pick it up.  I usually stop when I can and check it out and call them back.

I honestly believe that a number of accidents are caused by people talking on cell phones and not paying full attention to their driving, however, don't think there would be a big problem with a completely hands-free phone.  My opinion.

[7F24]

    People have been smoking and driving since the beginning of driving.  They drop hot ashes on themselves and try to put them out, or drop the cigarette itself and keep on driving.  I am surprised that smoking or drinking hot coffee while driving has never come up.
    I am sure there are many responsible teens who don't use their phones while driving.  I'd bet they will be the only ones not using their phones now.
    Is a car radio an electronic device?

[msm]

On Board DVD ?  an electronic device ?

[7F5]

How about 2-way radios. Could be interesting for amateur radio operators. How about public-emergency people? Pretty hard to fight a fire or take care of a patient without radio transmissions.

[khort]

How about built in GPS and Navigation in many new cars? How about the radio being played so loud you cant hear yourself think much less a car horn? Putting on make-up, laughing at a radio station, eating . Truthfully its endless the amount of distractions you can make for yourself when driving.  I know this law is to protect the innocent from your carelessness of distraction but I think somethings should just be left to common sense or lack thereof. How many things can we ban without going crazy?!

[Mike Raburn]

I believe ALL 50 States have a law on the books about DRIVING DISTRACTED or to that affect.

WE have LAWS and Ordinances that already cover most of everything.

Silly silly waste of time and money.

Enforce what we have already....geeze.

[msm]

My two cents -- Experience is the KEY  -- For Example...  I have a suburban commute -- no Interstate Driving --- Only a 6 lane blvd ( 3 lanes in each direction )  for about 8 miles --- with various Stop Lights and classic bumper to bumper traffic ...  Travel time is around 25 minutes --- yep 25 minutes to go less than 10 miles -- What does this tell you --- I am typically going very vey slow --- You can do the math on the average speed --- anyway -- I talk on the phone every day --- BOTH DIRECTIONS  ---- never have an issue -- I typically do not change lanes -- I mind my Ps and Qs --- I do NOT TAILGATE -- I travel the speed limit ( when able )  but otherwise,  the moving parking lot proceeds along and I get along fine .... It's like talking to a passenger in the car for me,  not an issue.  ( typically I am alone in the vehicle during my commute ).  In addition,  I am not comfortable driing on the Interstate in heavy traffic while on my phone and avoid this situation.  Traveloing at a high rate of speed and handling a phone is not a good practice.

Now I have a 16 year old kid ----  Totally lacking in experience -- He is NOT ALLOWED to talk on his phone and NO WAY is he texting ...  Luckily I have a goog kid,  that listens...   When is in allowed to talk on his phone and drive ?  Not sure,  but it's not anytime soon.   I am the parent and I set the rules.

As for rules and laws --  Waste of Time and Money -- How do you enforce ?

Mike M

[Dick Brown]

Henry   As with MSM, I am also a Florida Driver. I'm also at the age where my reflexes and reaction times are in the category of suspect, so picking up a cell phone to call requires a lot of concentration for me.....also, as with Mike, I pick my spots since I'm not about to soil my Diepends from the almost certain close calls accumulated in heavy traffic !!! Outlawing texting and excessive cell phone use while behind the wheel as a driver is probably approved by everyone, BUT there are so many variables one would have to read the law before making a judgement as to its effectiveness.  I would only hope that that both the Governor and the Legislators have inserted commonsense practices into this law along with protections for the law-enforcement officer who makes the stop and might be subject to later disciplinary actions. 
Ultimately, I think the public, i.e., the parents, have to take charge and stop their kids from texting........ and probably more importantly, we adults have to set an example for them to follow. If cell phones were available in 1952 and if I was able to afford one, I'm sure I would have been working my " black book " as I went down the highway, but I'm just as sure that my parents would have not been reluctant to curb my behavior if they found out.....which maybe is what is needed for inexperienced drivers now.

[Mike Raburn]

Geeze, about 4 days after I posted this I saw an article in the paper about the Alaska Law of txting.
I guess we have one!

http://www.adn.com/2010/05/10/1272075/2-arrested-for-driving-and-sending.html

Silly....

Enforce what WE have.

[mirjo]

Seriously, a LAW banning teens from texting & using a phone while driving? I'd like to know just how that is going to be enforced? The same way the no-driving with someone in the car for 6 months rule is enforced? A lot of kids ignore that too and that one doesn't make much sense either, because instead of the kids riding together in one car they "cruise" in separate cars, which creates more traffic on the streets and more distraction while they're driving paying attention to what each other is doing!

I think the legislature wastes time passing easy stuff so it doesn't have to do anything about any of the real issues facing people in this state! It's up to parents to set rules and boundaries for their kids, not the legislature.

[ohhman]

Maybe they ought to talk 1st to their own state employees! Last Wed as we traveled down I-89 about 2:45pm to Burlington, a white Matrix passed me with the state of Vt license plate, (I found out these are cars in the state's fleet that can be signed out for business by the state employees).  A few minutes later I passed the same Matrix, which I noticed was now going very slow. I glanced over to see this man in a suit either texting or trying to dial his phone.  I stayed by his side a short time, rate of speed about 50mph, & couldn't believe how distracted he was by his phone. Realizing this wasn't safe, I continued back to speed, a little under 65mph, & looked back in my mirror to see him far back in the line of traffic.  A few minutes later, that same white Matrix came zipping by me & continued well on his way ahead of traffic.  So maybe setting the example would be a good way to start?!

[Kathleen]

The whole issue is learning how to deal with distractions, especially for new drivers no matter what their age;  because you can't possibly take away all the distractions that occur while driving a car.  I have two nephews that have both been in car accidents because they were busy fiddling with their car radio and ended up hitting the car in front of them.  More attention needs to be given in driver's ed about teaching the new drivers about distraction.

[Chris Santee]

Recently, there was an accident in Cambridge,
where the driver dropped his milkshake.