|
Texting while driving will be illegal come Thursday: As with cell phones, police say they'll enforce new law banning distraction for driver
Dec 30, 2008 (Appeal-Democrat - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --
A state law against reading, writing or sending text messages while driving goes into effect Thursday, six months after the measure banning hand-held cell-phone use by motorists went into effect.
"It's hard enough to talk on the phone and drive," Sgt. John Osbourn of the Marysville Police Department said of the activity illegal since July 1. "Imagine trying to type and drive."
The new law also prohibits sending or reading text messages not only on cell phones but any electronic communications device, including e-mails read on laptop computers.
"We'll be watching for it," Osbourn said of violations.
Jaime Coffee, a California Highway Patrol spokeswoman in Sacramento, said the six-month-old cell phone law has led to more than 45,000 citations statewide.
Text messaging is a less visible activity than talking on a cell phone while driving -- but Coffee said patrol officers are prepared for enforcing the new measure.
"They're going to enforce the law," she said, "to the best of their ability."
Reading, writing or sending text messages are actions that distract drivers, Coffee said.
"The only thing you should be doing when you're driving," the CHP spokeswoman said, "is driving."
Department of Motor Vehicles spokeswoman Jan Mendoza said the first offense regarding the no-texting law involves a base $20 fine that can climb substantially when local administrative court fees are added. The base fine for a second offense is $50.
"We're hoping this new law will help eliminate just one more distraction," Mendoza said.
The law does not apply to passengers.
Contact Appeal reporter Ryan McCarthy at 749-4707 or rmcarthy@appeal-democrat.com
To see more of the Appeal-Democrat, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to
http://www.appeal-democrat.com. Copyright (c) 2008, Appeal-Democrat, Marysville,
Calif. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints,
email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send
a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee
Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
[ Back To AstriCon's Homepage ]
|
INDUSTRIES
Activate Email 
