Georgia Bans Texting While Driving

[OntarioVanMan]

William B. Cassidy | Jun 7, 2010 7:08PM GMT
The Journal of Commerce Online - News Story

Violators of all ages would face $150 fine

Gov. Sonny Perdue signed a bill into law today making Georgia the 28th state to ban cell phone texting while driving. The law will apply to all drivers effective July 1.

The bill, the Caleb Sorohan Act, also bans student drivers with provisional licenses from talking on cell phones while driving. Violators will face a $150 fine.

The legislation was named for an 18-year-old Georgia high school student who was killed last December when he lost control of his car while texting.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood hailed the Georgia law, pointing to legislation in statehouses across the country against distracted driving.

More than 200 bills were considered by state legislatures last year, and the pace is quickening, he said.

Earlier this year, LaHood banned commercial truck drivers from texting while driving. President Obama banned federal employees from texting on the road.

“It’s time for Americans to follow Georgia’s lead and just put their devices down,” said LaHood. “Texting while driving is just too risky.”

 

[termite289]

if i have said it once, i have said it seven or eight other times. its a dang telephone. call them and communicate verbally, its faster, and you don't have to freaking spell.

 

[greg334]

You know I love Georgia but something is wrong with this state.

As I traveled through it the other day, I saw a BIG sign proclaiming the newly acquired site for a Hospice location, which happened to be next to a cemetery and across from a funeral home.

I got stuck in a funeral procession, half way through the a light, someone stopped for the red light and the cop behind me told me to go so I went, all the way to the cemetery.

Now they name a law for a kid who killed himself by driving distracted? Something seems to be wrong with that, am I thinking that they usually do that for 'victims'?

 

[OntarioVanMan]

You know I love Georgia but something is wrong with this state.

As I traveled through it the other day, I saw a BIG sign proclaiming the newly acquired site for a Hospice location, which happened to be next to a cemetery and across from a funeral home.

I got stuck in a funeral procession, half way through the a light, someone stopped for the red light and the cop behind me told me to go so I went, all the way to the cemetery.

Now they name a law for a kid who killed himself by driving distracted? Something seems to be wrong with that, am I thinking that they usually do that for 'victims'?

You are right...never put that together...

 

[termite289]

they always name laws after the victims of stupidity, the Brady bill, Megan law, the list is freaking endless.
someone does something stupid, and we get a new law. like we are trying to stop the process of natural selection or something.
let the stupid off themselves, then we will have less of them to freaking deal with!!!

 

[cheri1122]

they always name laws after the victims of stupidity, the Brady bill, Megan law, the list is freaking endless.
someone does something stupid, and we get a new law. like we are trying to stop the process of natural selection or something.
let the stupid off themselves, then we will have less of them to freaking deal with!!!

Termite: in the Ga law, you are correct, the victim died of his own stupid behavior, and hardly deserves to be honored for it.
In the case of many others, though, such as 'Megan's Law', the victim [Megan was a 7 year old girl, killed by a pedophile] did nothing "stupid" at all, and your comments are offensive.
It's just a shame that we are saddled with so much ignorance, particularly from elected officials. To single out texting as unsafe [which it certainly is] is to ignore the many other forms of distracted driving, which is just plain stupid.

 

[greg334]

Yea Cheri I agree 100%, the other day saw it again - some woman breastfeeding her kid while driving. It should be something along the lines of child endangerment.

 

[chefdennis]

Toledo passed a no texting while driving law a few months ago. The LEO's themselves said it was a UNNEEDED LAW...if they see you texting while driving there are already laws on the books that they can charge you with......Distracted driving is just one...cross over the line marking the road, or across the center lane, reckless op....and the beat goes on...The LEO's also said that unless the law allows them to conficate the phone and open it, the court would have get the records from the phone company, so they will have a heck of a time proving you were texting...so the other charges are easier to enforce....and the fine for texting is something like $83 dollars plus court cost..you really think they are going to try and get the phone records.....

 

[nightcreacher]

Texting,this is just a small part of the distractions that goes on in our moving vehicles, on our nations highways.I've seen everything from women putting makeup on, to men having oral sex,while their cars were in motion.Even our states finest can be seen typing in their computers while in motion.You see automobiles that look like drunk drivers were behind the wheels,and not one of them were ever stopped.Every state has signs for you to call, in case you see cars or trucks that are driving in an unsafe manor,but how many time does this happen.The girl that ran into my truck, told the officer she didn't see me,was she texting,or just having a conversation with her passenger,and just not paying attention to where she was.Non the less, whatever she was doing, was a distraction.By the way,Kentucky law, as I found out,unless the police officer actually sees the accident,they can't actually write a ticket for the offence.
This law on texting,unless there is actually an accident ,I don't believe there will be many citations for it.
While we are at it,just talking on the cell phone can be a distraction,not the act of talking,but dialing the number.What good is hands free, if you have to use the dialer to reach the party your calling?Sure you should be able to voice dial,but there are many phones that don't have this option.Not being able to work is getting on my nerves.Home a week, and Freightliner just got the go ahead to fix my truck,probably be another 3 days.Be nice when I get my down time from State Farm,hope it is as easy as they say.