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Re: Arizona joins majority of nation in enacting texting while driving ban [telecom]

PHOENIX - Arizona joined the majority of the nation in enacting a ban

>against texting and driving on Monday, four months after a Valley >police officer was struck and killed by a man who admitted to texting >behind the wheel. > >Gov. Doug Ducey signed House Bill 2318 into law during a ceremony >attended by advocates, law enforcement, lawmakers and the family of >Salt River Officer Clayton Townsend.

A couple of questions:

1) I take it this doesn't affect *talking* on cell phone while driving. Just texting. This is sensible. 2) How do they plan to enforce it? How far away are we from being able to tell electronically - from cell phone company records and what not - that people are texting while driving. Like they do on the TV crime shows...
Reply to
Kenny McCormack
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A number of states also have laws that say you can only talk with hands-free phones.

Cops can see when a driver is looking down at their phone instead of forward through the windshield and their hand is off the steering wheel.

And once they have probably cause to pull you over, I'll bet they can get phone company records to confirm that you were indeed texting at that time. So they should be able to tell the difference between using a traffic or GPS app and texting.

Reply to
Barry Margolin

The idea of hands-free communication is being pushed hard as the safer alternative in some states.

In my opinion however, it is the _conversation_, not holding the phone itself, that is the distraction and danger. A cell phone conversation is not the same as talking to a passenger in the car; a very different dynamic.

The problem is that virtually everyone talks on their cell phone while driving, so I can't see people giving this up.

Reply to
HAncock4

The solution to that is to make it illegal for anyone in the car to be doing it. I.e., treat it as something that no one should be doing in a car - a sentiment with which I agree.

Just like drinking. Open container laws. Nobody is allowed to drink in a car.

Reply to
Kenny McCormack

Why? Yes, it may be a solution to the problem of not knowing who was doing the texting, but it seems like a pretty heavy-handed measure.

It's probably more likely that liquor will be shared by all the occupants than a cellphone would be. I can't really imagine any dire consequences of allowing the kids to play games and text in the back seat on a long drive.

Reply to
Barry Margolin

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