Texting-while-driving ban signed into R.I. law
3:22 PM Tue, Nov 10, 2009 | Permalink
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PROVIDENCE, R.I. _ With the stroke of Governor Carcieri's pen, it is now illegal to text-message while driving in Rhode Island. Sending, reading or writing a text message, such as an e-mail or instant message, with any kind of data-transmission device while operating a moving motor vehicle would be punishable at the Traffic Tribunal by a fine of $85 on first offense, $100 on second offense and $125 for a third or subsequent offense. The new law takes effect immediately. Rhode Island is now the 19th state plus the District of Columbia to prohibit the activity, as concern grows across the nation about the issue of distracted driving. Nine of those states prohibit texting only by novice drivers or in limited circumstances. Six states and D.C. go even further, by prohibiting the use of handheld cell phones while driving. Rhode Island has not yet crossed that bridge. "Driver inattention is a leading cause of motor vehicle crashes and texting has been one of the most egregious forms of it," said state Department of Transportation director Michael P. Lewis in a statement issued soon after Carcieri signed the legislation into law. It had been introduced in the House by Rep. Peter Kilmartin, and in the Senate by Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski, D-South Kingstown. "This law will help put a driver's eyes back on the road where they should be,'' Lewis said. "While this law helps us save lives, RIDOT is continuing to work toward a primary seat belt law. Doing so would prevent serious injuries and save even more lives while providing Rhode Island an additional $3.7 million in transportation infrastructure and highway safety funds," Lewis said. Carcieri signed the bill on a busy day, in which he and his staff and legal advisers waded through the vast majority of the 200-plus bills passed during the two-day special session in late October, and transmitted to him last Friday. According to Legislative Data, a total of 243 bills have been transmitted to the governor so far for him to sign, veto or allow to become law without his signature. Under its own reading of state law, the governor's office has calculated it has six days from the transmittal of each bill to act or the measure becomes law with his signature. For most bills, that deadline is a day away. 
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Absolutely stupid. This is the General Assembly re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic (again). The current law covering Reckless Driving is all we need. State and local police do not enforce the laws that are on the books right now. Turn signals? Poice are some of the worst violators! How about headlights when it's raining? Yielding to pedestrians in a crosswalk? Or try driving 3 miles before dawn or after dusk without spotting a car with only one headlight. Ain't gonna happen.
Come on GA, do something meaningful and effective for a change.
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yeah George, you are 100% right on that. However, at least now teens and other drivers that want to look down at their phone while traveling 40 mph+ on a major roadway just so they can type "OMG LOL, c u soon" or "ur my BFFL" or something else ridiculously stupid of the matter, will not be tolerated, if caught. that's a big if though if they are caught.
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So I guess the police will no longer be able to troll the highways running plate and operator background checks on their laptops ??
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So, does that mean that it applies to law enforcement officers as well? Or are we going to keep the double standard as always?
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George, while you make a good point that reckless driving laws already exist, I have to disagree that a texting while driving ban is superfluous. Outlawing texting behind the wheel is important because making it illegal helps make clear what a dangerous activity it is. By your argument, we shouldn't need drunk driving laws, because driving under the influence is just another form of reckless driving.
Stopping the problem of texting while driving will not happen because of laws alone, but legally prohibiting it and other forms of distracted driving is an important step to preventing distracted driving altogether. In addition to laws, we need to educate people - it should be common sense to look where you're going, yet people don't. If nothing else, putting a law on the books makes the issue front page news. The more we talk about it, the more people will acknowledge what a bad idea texting while driving is
Likewise, we need to look for technological solutions to help break some of these bad habits. ZoomSafer, for example, is software for your mobile phone that detects when you're driving and locks your keypad so that you can't text or email while you drive. You can try it for free at www.zoomsafer.com.
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... and what happens after the third offense? Do the traffic courts have the stomach to actually revoke such a person's license? Clearly, if they are caught three times, they need to go back to remedial driving school and shouldn't be on the roads. After all, driving is a responsibility, not a right.
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