Transportation Secretary Lauds Wisconsin’s Texting Ban, Which Went Into Effect Dec. 1

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Posted on 1st December 2010 by Gordon Johnson in Uncategorized

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Wisconsin’s texting ban went into effect today, Dec. 1, prompting a shout-out on Facebook from U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. It is the 30th state to enact such a ban.

“I never had the pleasure of meeting Julie Davis, but as a grandmother of 14 I bet she would appreciate Wisconsin’s texting ban, which goes into effect today,” LaHood wrote Wednesday on his Facebook page.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/sec.lahood

The Facebook posting had a link to the Department of Transportation’s blog, which tells the story of Davis, the deceased mother of Laurier Hevier.

http://fastlane.dot.gov/2010/12/faces-of-distracted-driving-julie-davis-58-one-second-she-was-there-and-the-next-she-was-gone.html

“Laurie, who I met at our second national Distracted Driving Summit in September, lost her mother Julie because of a distracted driver in central Wisconsin,” LaHood said on the blog . “We have featured her story on distracton.gov in our recently launched ‘Faces of Distracted Driving’ series.”

Here is Julie’s story, as per the blog:

“Julie Davis lived a quiet life in Rudolph, Wis. She ran a small hobby farm with her husband Larry and spent her days knitting, tending her vegetable garden, and making jewelry.  But her true passion was for her friends and family — especially her fourteen grandchildren. 

‘She said being a grandma was one of the busiest jobs, but she loved it,’ Laurie said.  ‘She was at every event – if she could make it, she would go.'”

That all ended April 15 last year.

“That afternoon, she set out for a hike near her home with her best friend,” the Transportation blog said. “As they walked beside the road, a 19-year-old driving at 70 mph struck Julie from behind, killing her instantly. There were no skid marks, no signs of attempted braking.”

Blame a distracted driver. 

“Phone records and the accident investigation indicated the driver who struck Julie was likely distracted by her cellphone,” the blog says. “Crash reconstruction reports showed that the driver must have taken her eyes from the road for almost 9 seconds to miss seeing two pedestrians.  And two witnesses saw the driver swerving back and forth just prior to the crash.”

Citing that case, LaHood wrote on the Transportation Department blog, “That’s why we need good laws, like Wisconsin’s new texting ban, to keep drivers’ focus where it needs to be.”

Wisconsin’s new law permits drivers to talk on their cellphones, but they cannot send e-mails or text messages while driving. For my money, the law doesn’t go far enough. It should have barred talking on cellphones by motorists. But It’s better than nothing.  
http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/111064114.html

AAA Lauds Wisconsin For Being 25th State To Pass Driver Texting Ban

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Posted on 26th May 2010 by Gordon Johnson in Uncategorized

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AAA has commended Wisconsin for being the 25th state to outlaw text messaging by all drivers, as the organization’s effort to pass bans in all 50 states has reached its halfway point.

Gov. Jim Doyle signed the bill into law earlier this month, making Wisconsin the sixth state this year to ban text messaging while driving.  AAA expects several more states to enact similar legislation this year.

“Wisconsin gets us halfway to AAA’s campaign goal of passing text messaging bans for all drivers in all 50 states,” AAA president and CEO Robert Darbelnet said in a prepared statement. “Last year, 12 states enacted text messaging bans for all drivers and we anticipate that several more states will act against this dangerous source of driver distraction this year.”

Darbelnet continued, “Texting while driving is associated with significant physical and cognitive distractions and the proliferation of the practice is endangering all users of our nation’s roadways. Surveys show the overwhelming majority of Americans agree that this behavior is dangerous and they support text messaging bans. AAA urges legislators in states without texting bans to pass laws this year.”

The AAA has plenty of research to back up its concerns about the dangers of texting and driving. Research conducted over the last two years by the Auto Club of Southern California speaks to the benefit of California’s texting-while- driving ban.

 Observations in Orange County in July last year showed that texting had dropped about 70 percent, to 0.4 percent of all drivers, in the first six months of California’s ban.

Observations conducted in late March and early April this year showed that texting had increased to 1.1 percent, but remained below the 1.4 percent usage rate observed prior to the law taking effect.

The Southern California research offers evidence that legislation outlawing text messaging by all drivers can have a positive effect on driver behavior, but the upturn in texting rates shown in the latest research illustrates the need for visible enforcement, significant penalties and continued public education.

Legislation to establish or  improve an existing ban on text messaging while driving is currently being considered in California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Vermont.

The states that now prohibit text messaging by all drivers: Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

The District of Columbia also has a texting ban.

 “AAA Wisconsin applauds the Wisconsin State Legislature and Governor Doyle for passing thisnew law that will significantly enhance driving safety across our state,” AAA Wisconsin regional president Tom Frymark said in his prepared statement. “We’ll continue to make drivers aware of the dangers of texting while driving and of the importance of obeying this new law.”

Wisconsin’s law will become effective Nov. 1, as the Badger State joins Michigan, Kentucky, Nebraska, Iowa and Wyoming in enacting text messaging bans for all drivers this year.

 The dates when those respective laws take effect are:

  • Michigan – July 1, 2010
  • Kentucky – Effective immediately when signed on April 15, penalties effective Jan. 1, 2011
  • Nebraska – July 15, 2010
  • Iowa – July 1, 2010, penalties effective July 1, 2011
  • Wyoming – July 1, 2010

 

Wisconsin Senate Passes Bill Banning Texting While Driving

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Posted on 14th April 2010 by Gordon Johnson in Uncategorized

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As expected, the Wisconsin State Senate Tuesday passed a bill that prohibits texting while driving. Gov. Jim Doyle is expected to sign the legislation. http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/90793699.html

 The Senate voted 30-3 in favor of the texting ban, which still faces a vote, a formality, in the state Assembly in the next few days, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

 The Senate was approving a bill passed by the Assembly in January, but the Senate changed the penalties mandated for violations of the ban. The Senate mandated fines of $20 to $400 for violations. The Assembly had set penalties of up to $400 for a first offense and from $200 to $800 for a second offense.

 Right now 19 states and Washington, D.C., bar motorists from texting while they are driving, according to the National Conference of State Legislators.

 Several studies cited by the Journal Sentinel found that the distraction of texting increases the risk of accidents.

 Wisconsin’s texting ban will take effect seven months after Gov. Doyle signs it.