Texting-while-driving ban passed
azcentral.com
Sept. 19, 2007 06:18 PM

Phoenix police will begin pulling over motorists seen texting while driving Thursday in the wake of the Phoenix City Council's decision Wednesday to ban the practice inside the city limits.
From now until Oct. 19, anyone seen texting while driving will be subject to a warning from Phoenix police. After that, drivers will face fines of up to $250 plus $210 in surcharges.
The City Council voted 7-1 to ban texting while driving, with Councilwoman Peggy Neely dissenting. Councilman Claude Mattox was absent.
"We're legislating common sense," Councilman Doug Lingner said.
Phoenix is the first city in Arizona and among the first in the country to specifically ban the use of cellphones and personal digital assistants to send and read text messages while their vehicles are in motion.
Texting while driving will be considered a primary offense, meaning that a police officer can pull someone over solely for messaging.

Violators will be cited with a nonmoving civil traffic violation. No points will be assesses against their drivers licenses.

Neely said she supported the idea but preferred a statewide ban, which she said would avoid confusion among motorists.

"My big concern is, how do people determine where the boundaries are?" Neely asked.

Rep. Steve Farley (D-Tucson) introduced legislation in January that would have banned texting while driving across Arizona. The bill never received a hearing. "The right way to do this is through a state law," Councilman Dave Siebert said. "The problem is, we weren't sure they would pass it."

Mayor Phil Gordon said passing a statewide texting-while-driving ban would be placed at the top of Phoenix's lobbying agenda for next year.

"Our residents should be safe no matter what city they go into," he said.

Last month, an 18-year-old Glendale driver drifted across the center line while texting and collided with another driver, killing both.

The council's vote on the ban Wednesday came as something of a surprise. It was a last-minute addition to the agenda, having been recommended by the council's public safety committee only the day before.

Typically it takes at least a week between a subcommittee's recommendation on an item and the item getting a full hearing before the council.

Council members said they considered texting while driving a serious public safety issue and wanted to implement the ban immediately.

Five states and the District of Columbia have already banned the use of handheld cellphones by drivers, effectively prohibiting texting as well.

 

darn, cant txt anymore haha

 

I support all laws to get rid of phone use while driving. I know they are convenient but they are a hazard.

 

dang. i txt when i drive... i freakin write essays, post on SL, blog, etc...

 

no officer I wasn't texting ..... I was looking for a phone number/looking at my gps/selecting music...... DC has it right just elimanate being able to use a handheld phone ...... Blue Tooth will save the world (even though I don't use it) hahaha

 

I love my Bluetooth, but that thing never leaves my car! Best thing ever for driving...my stepmother's Acura is all pimped out with Bluetooth and you can tell that car to do everything without ever taking your hands off the wheel.

I laugh my **** off at people walking around the mall with the thing on their ear...wow, you got that much going on you can't just hold the phone...and 90% of the time their hands are empty anyway.

 

I guess this means everyone willl just drive faster to pass the time while in the car now

 

Drive faster then you already do Chad??? Oh boy...

 

WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Im legal beagle when it comes to posted limits. Ask Bryan

 

*cough* Bull $h!t *cough*

 

Couldn't have said it better myself B!!!

 

lol - yeah- that Charger does a MEAN 55mph!



legal beagle. lol.

 

bout time they did this. i just saw some dumb$hit rear-end another car today because he was texting. like i was literally right next to the two cars when they hit. saw the whole thing happen. dumba$$ looked down at his phone, looked up, grabbed the wheel and slamed the breaks and BOOM! right into a truck with a tow hitch.


that'll learn em

 

Drivers: How will Phoenix enforce texting ban?
Motorists ask how rule will be enforced

Casey Newton
The Arizona Republic
Sept. 21, 2007 12:00 AM
A day after the Phoenix City Council passed a ban on text-messaging while driving, drivers sent the council a new message: How are you going to enforce it?

In the words of Councilwoman Peggy Neely, the lone council member to oppose the ban: "How does an officer distinguish between me looking for a phone number and texting?"

The short answer is that the officer won't.
"There's obviously some inherent problems with the ordinance," said Cmdr. Frank Milstead, who oversees the traffic bureau. "However, there are times when you can see people using two thumbs, sitting there with a BlackBerry or some other type of wireless device. Then we might have a little more ability to make the contact."

On Thursday, the first day the ordinance took effect, police had no reports of stopping anyone for text-messaging while driving.

Meanwhile, two council members have asked their colleagues to consider expanding the ban to include all use of handheld cellphones.

The council voted this week to approve a ban on drivers sending or reading text messages while their cars are in motion.

The city is the first in Arizona and one of the first in the country to specifically ban texting while driving.

Phoenix also will lobby Arizona lawmakers to pass a statewide ban next year.

Ordinance violations
Through Oct. 20, drivers pulled over for texting will receive a warning. After that, they can be cited $100 for the act, or $250 if an accident is involved. With surcharges, the $100 fine comes to $202.40, and the $250 fine will cost $478.40.

"And that's if you pay on time," said Stephanie Ribodal, a city spokeswoman.

Phoenix police do not plan a widespread enforcement campaign, Milstead said.

Instead, they hope to educate drivers about the dangers of not paying attention to the road.

That means that many drivers pulled over for texting probably will escape with a warning, even after the official warning period.

Milstead said police are most concerned about drivers who cause accidents because of inattention to the road.

"If somebody involved in an accident, an aggravated situation . . . we would cite on that occasion," Milstead said.

Councilman Greg Stanton, who proposed the Phoenix texting ban, said the ordinance is like any other traffic law in that it asks police to weigh the evidence in front of them before deciding whether to pull someone over.

"The fact that they will use their discretion does not mean we shouldn't have a law in place," Stanton said. "We want the police to use their discretion."

Dangers of inattention
Vinnie Sorce, whose fiancee was killed in Glendale last month by a driver who was text-messaging, urged motorists to heed the new ordinance.

Stacy Stubbs, 40, was on her way to a doctor's appointment when she was killed by an 18-year-old driver who drifted across the center line.

"Pay attention," Sorce said. "Your car is not just a mode of transportation. It's a 2-ton weapon. And people don't understand that."

Handheld ban next?
The Phoenix ordinance could touch off a series of local and state legislation regulating the use of wireless devices by motorists.

Phoenix passed its ordinance partially in the hope that it would pressure lawmakers to pass a statewide ban when they reconvene in January.

Lawmakers considered a driver text-messaging ban this year but did not act on it. Bill sponsor Rep. Steve Farley, D-Tucson, said Phoenix's ordinance would help the bill gain support.

In Phoenix, Councilmen Claude Mattox and Tom Simplot have sent a memo asking their colleagues to consider requiring motorists to use a hands-free device when using a cellphone.

"It's something we should be open-minded about," Stanton said of a potential hands-free requirement. "Our focus should be on community safety."

 

I've caught myself texting twice today while driving. I am so used to it that I just simply forget, plus I guess I am not dumb enough to do it in traffic and other various areas. I know I am going to forget and get a ticket one day!

 

Yeah...Jessica is so used to texting while she drives that she said she has to put her phone in the glove box when she gets in the car just so she doesn't forget and do the same thing.

 

I DON'T SEEM TO RECALL BEING ABLE TO VOTE ON THIS

 

Flipping Phoenix City Council has nothing better to do? I'm sure with the crime rate, catching drivers while texting will be high on the priority list. Idiots.

 

Well I used to text all the time with my old phone while driving... using T9 u can text without even looking if you practice enough. But now i have a smart phone and occasionly drive with my knee and text. Its pretty bad I know.

But thank god for limo tint so they cant see me texting

 

yeah I'd like to see them actually give me a ticket if they see me texting while driving when i don't have a PDA phone and i can just say I was looking up a number.

I don't promote texting while driving, i rarely do it myself.