Simitian Legislation To Strengthen Hands-Free/Texting Laws
California Political Desk
February 26, 2010
SACRAMENTO –State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced this week the introduction of Senate Bill 1475 which strengthens the state´s hands-free and anti-texting laws for motorists. The bill:
Increases the fine for a first hands-free offense to $50, and to $100 for a subsequent offenses (currently $20 and $50 respectively),
Increases the fine for texting while driving to $100 (currently $20 for a first offense and $50 for a subsequent offense),
Provides that a violation of either of the two laws will add a "point" on motorists´ driving records,
Uses a portion of the increased fine revenue to provide for a public awareness program; and
Applies the hands-free/no texting laws to bicyclists.
Simitian´s Senate Bill 1475 comes on the heels of increased public concern about the dangers of distracted driving. Early this year, the National Safety Council released a report indicating that 28 percent of automobile accidents in the United States involve talking or texting on a cell phone. And a nationwide study conducted in 2009 by AAA indicated that 97.7 percent of Americans believed texting or emailing while driving was a serious threat to their personal safety.
Last September, Simitian attended the U.S. Department of Transportation´s national summit in Washington D.C. on distracted driving. The purpose of the event was to find ways to reduce the number of accidents caused by distracted drivers.
"The good news," said Simitian, "is that recently released collision and fatality data from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) confirms that California´s streets and highways are safer following the implementation of California´s ´hands-free´ cell phone law."
CHP certified numbers from the first six months of the law´s implementation show a 20 percent reduction in fatalities and collisions in California when compared to the same six month period over the past three to five years. Data from 2009 (not yet certified) confirms the trend. "That translates to at least 700 fewer fatalities and 75,000 to 100,000 fewer collisions each year," said Simitian.
"Equally compelling," notes Simitian, "is the CHP data that shows an immediate drop of 40-50 percent in the number of distracted driving accidents attributed to cell phones following the July 1, 2008 implementation of the law.
While Simitian says he finds the results to date "gratifying," he hopes that Senate Bill 1475, "will make a good law even better. Compliance to date has been good," he notes, "but there´s room for improvement." Simitian says he thinks the new law will provide "a more significant deterrent."
Increases the fine for a first hands-free offense to $50, and to $100 for a subsequent offenses (currently $20 and $50 respectively),
Increases the fine for texting while driving to $100 (currently $20 for a first offense and $50 for a subsequent offense),
Provides that a violation of either of the two laws will add a "point" on motorists´ driving records,
Uses a portion of the increased fine revenue to provide for a public awareness program; and
Applies the hands-free/no texting laws to bicyclists.
Simitian´s Senate Bill 1475 comes on the heels of increased public concern about the dangers of distracted driving. Early this year, the National Safety Council released a report indicating that 28 percent of automobile accidents in the United States involve talking or texting on a cell phone. And a nationwide study conducted in 2009 by AAA indicated that 97.7 percent of Americans believed texting or emailing while driving was a serious threat to their personal safety.
Last September, Simitian attended the U.S. Department of Transportation´s national summit in Washington D.C. on distracted driving. The purpose of the event was to find ways to reduce the number of accidents caused by distracted drivers.
"The good news," said Simitian, "is that recently released collision and fatality data from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) confirms that California´s streets and highways are safer following the implementation of California´s ´hands-free´ cell phone law."
CHP certified numbers from the first six months of the law´s implementation show a 20 percent reduction in fatalities and collisions in California when compared to the same six month period over the past three to five years. Data from 2009 (not yet certified) confirms the trend. "That translates to at least 700 fewer fatalities and 75,000 to 100,000 fewer collisions each year," said Simitian.
"Equally compelling," notes Simitian, "is the CHP data that shows an immediate drop of 40-50 percent in the number of distracted driving accidents attributed to cell phones following the July 1, 2008 implementation of the law.
While Simitian says he finds the results to date "gratifying," he hopes that Senate Bill 1475, "will make a good law even better. Compliance to date has been good," he notes, "but there´s room for improvement." Simitian says he thinks the new law will provide "a more significant deterrent."
Print
Email
