Texting While Driving Bans, State by State

Posted on June 20, 2013 by georgiatrafficlawyer

Texting while driving laws aren’t just for teens any more. 41 states in the U.S. have banned the potentially fatal practice altogether, 6 states have partial bans in effect with the remaining 3, including Arizona, Montana and South Carolina having no ban in effect at all.

As for cell phone use, talking on a hand held cell phone while driving is prohibited in 11 states and there are laws that restrict novice drivers from cell phone usage altogether in 37 states. Visit  http://ow.ly/melGY for a map of the U.S. with a summary of each states laws.

Although texting while driving is against the law in so many states, its tough to enforce these laws for now but based on the dangers involved in doing this dirty deed, Attorney Scott Fortas  advises that at some point this may change and ticketing could become easier for law enforcement officers that catch offenders.

Remember that text or email can wait 5 minutes; or pull off the road into and do your texting while the car is in a parked position.

More about Georgia Traffic Laws.

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Georgia’s Summer H.E.A.T. (Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic) Begins

Posted on May 20, 2013 by georgiatrafficlawyer

In an attempt to crack down on drivers who violate speeding and traffic laws, Memorial Day weekend kicks off the 100 days of the official H.E.A.T. campaign by Georgia law enforcement officers. Specifically targeting those who choose to risk others lives by texting and driving or recklessly speeding, or driving under the influence of alcohol, be wary as the efforts of  your local traffic enforcement will be stepped up dramatically.

Should you end up with a ticket, Attorney Scott Fortas advises you contact the Fortas Law Group for legal help however the best tactic is safer driving and ticket avoidance.

Read more about H.E.A.T.

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Georgia’s No Texting and Driving Law – Could It Have Dangerous Consequences?

Posted on September 3, 2012 by georgiatrafficlawyer

As of August 31st, Ohio became the 39th state to officially ban texting while driving. For the next 6 months however, drivers caught texting while driving will only receive warnings. Georgia passed its no texting and driving law back in 2010, and police have issued some citations but is the law effective at doing what it is supposed to do? A survey done back in 2010 by the Highway Loss Data Institute found that in 2 out of 3 states with no texting and driving laws in place, accidents actually increased rather than decreased. The reason for this appears to be that drivers are now lowering their phones into their laps to read or send email, or text, meaning that their focus is taken even further off the road than before the laws were passed.

Key to issuing citations is the need for an officer to catch an offending driver in the act and that can be difficult. Drivers can offer to show their phones to the officer to prove they didn’t violate the law but most are not forthcoming and the office ends up issuing a warning for lack of evidence. It easy enough to stick your phone away when you get pulled over. What would it take to stop texting or any other distracted driving behavior that involves a mobile device? Its teenagers who tend to be the worst offenders but what would it take to stop this practice for our most vulnerable drivers, Georgia teen drivers, those with the least experience? Perhaps if the penalties were more severe and a teen could incur license suspension or very high fines it might help save lives.

Feel free to post your comments below.

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Georgia Texting and Driving Law Difficult to Enforce

Posted on August 7, 2012 by georgiatrafficlawyer

Two years ago, Georgia enacted laws intended to stop drivers from texting while driving in an effort to stop the practice before any additional lives were lost. The reality of the matter is that though the law was proactive and Georgia was one of the first states in the country to actually do something about stopping this dangerous practice, enforcing the law is not easy. Since the law states its illegal to “operate a motor vehicle on any public road or highway of this state while using a wireless telecommunications device to write, send, or read any text based communication, including but not limited to, a text message, instant message, email or Internet data”, basically any action with the phone other than hands free phone calling is prohibited.

But why have so few citations been issued to date?

Find out more about GA’s driving laws.

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Bills Make Texting Illegal While Driving

Posted on February 1, 2010 by georgiatrafficlawyer

Finally, several bills are on the Georgia Legislature that will make the practice of texting while driving illegal. Read the article at PBA online.

19 other states have laws regarding texting while driving.

Filed under: Georgia Traffic Laws, Texting and Driving | 1 Comment »