There's a new push in Annapolis to make using a cellphone while driving a primary traffic offense. That means police can pull motorists over if they see a phone in their hand behind the wheel.
Under legislation introduced Tuesday violators are assessed a point against their license plus a $500 fine.
The legislation designating is personal for a number of lawmakers.
"Because of the fact that I am putting two young girls on the road eventually ... I want to make sure there's every protection while they're out there that they concentrate on driving the vehicle," House Speaker Michael Busch said.
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23 comments:
Finally. Awhile ago I sat at Panera and counted the number of drivers speaking on handheld phones at the stop sign at lunchtime. Out of 17 vehicles, 13 drivers were talking on handheld cell phones and 9 didn't stop at the stop sign. Pretty bad statistics.
How many were eating fast food/smoking/reading?
Just another tool to be used to pull people over and interrogate them and do a search of vehicle as well as collect $500 for the state.
That is a parking lot stop sign and not on a a roadway. Hardly anyone ever stops completely at that sign.
5:52 get a life
Crazy. People have just gone crazy. Why do people think we are going to legislate ourselves into some kind of over the rainbow fairy tale happy little world. Make sure the cops must use hands free devices as well. See them all the time on the road with a phone in hand
Another money grab....if all these people are using cell phones, why have the number of fatalities gone DOWN? Why aren't there MORE accidents? Just because there are some anecdotal stories about someone who swerved, didn't stop, ran a red light, etc., SHOULD NOT be the reason (in light of the stats mentioned above) for MORE laws. Its all about the money and giving the police one more reason to turn a traffic stop into a full blown search and destroy mission.
I, too am glad to see it, but I think $500 is steep.
Although, in my experience, they're just as dangerous but a lot more prevalent than drunk drivers.
OK! Really?! What is the difference if you have a passenger in the car?! I know for a fact I look at them while I'm driving - So people need to get a life!!! We are all guilty of something while we are driving, eating, talking on phone, drinking and driving, drinking a coffee, or soda and smoking a cigarette or cigars, I have also seen woman putting on make up while driving!! This is really getting out of hand! The FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NEEDS to STAY out of OUR lives and out of our schools as well and let the local and state government handle our schools!
Haven't people realized for every law passed we give up more.of our freedom. That's the problem now and soon we will have no freedom. Everytime someone doesn't like something or has a pet peeve they work to pass a law against it. You can't talk on the phone you can't have certain kinds of dogs you have to wear your seatbelt as it's for your own good we need to take your gins so people quit killing people. Where is this all going to end. Might as well pass a law now saying we only get to do what the government tells us to. Keep giving up your freedom folks.
8:09 LOL ... since when did the "FEDERAL GOVERNMENT" move to Annapolis and take over the Maryland legislature? It's funny because you're so angry about vesting power in state governments, and that is exactly what this story is about!
9:55 There is a federal connection to this. States are being urged to take this action at the "request" of the National Transportation Safety Board. I've not seen nor know for sure but I imagine there may be some fed money riding on this. In other words states that comply are eligible for money from feds. This is usually how it works.
Another FYI-More often than you think is the fed gov't controlling what happens on a state level. Fed "requests" filter down and states adopt these "requests" in the form of laws. It's all to do with money. The more states comply the more fed money they get.
Most new vehicles come with bluetooth and you are already hands free, this will only impact those with less options and less money to loose. What a bunch of freaking morons we have turned into. Next they will intergrate a mandatory steering wheel sensor into vehicles, if your hand comes off the wheel, automatically a $500fine will be assessed and points against your license. Each month you will HAVE to go to the DMV to download your data and pay up before you have the priveledge of driving again.
I am sick of the women driving their SUVs and cannot make a correct turn because they are holding their cell phone. I say go get em.
Lets start a campaign n call it JUST SAY NO ! I for one am sick of this bit by bit destruction of our freedoms..!!! government is already overstepping on our rights ...but continues to create stupid law for us all instead of hammering offenders within current law...back off n concetrate on murders, gangs, crack coke herion the bad drugs n organized crime u know the the real problems
Let me understand this: They are going to pass a law that will actually keep teenagers from talking and texting on the phone? What kind of IDIOT believes that?
Kind of like passing a law that you cannot steal from or kill another person, right?
$500? Seriously? So it's basically a lessor offense to drive 90MPH down rt 50 using a hands free device. Where's the logic in that?
This politician is an idiot.
But for those who are worried - make yourself a ghetto hands free device. Put the phone on speaker, and use the seatbelt to hold the phone closer to your head.
who is going to stop the cops from using their cell phones. Almost every cop that passes me is on their cell phone
Why do we allow more and more laws to be passed limiting our freedoms?
We are allowing the servants to become masters.
How much more are we going to allow them to manage our lives and rights?
If we don't put the brakes on now, we are lost.
10:03 The same ones that think banning guns will stop criminals and crazies from killing people with guns, LIBERALS!
$500.00 !! Greedy scum bags, can this state get any worse?
if you're driving a commercial vehicle, the fine is something like $2000 for the actual driver and $11,000 for the company. So, theoretically, if you are a business owner you could get a HUGE fine for something you didn't even do that wasn't under your control. now, that is all about greed.
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