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StumbleState lawmakers taking aim at using cell phones, texting while driving
Thursday, July 15, 2010 | 2:05 a.m.
CARSON CITY — Bills on cell phones, drunk driving and seat belts are already being drafted for introduction in the 2011 Legislature.
Of the 178 bills requested for draft, at least five take aim at drivers.
Assemblyman Harvey Munford of Las Vegas says he wants to put on the table a bill to prohibit motorists from using a cell phone while driving.
Assemblywoman Sheila Leslie of Reno intends to expand a law that requires interlock devices in the cars of persons convicted of drunk driving.
Sen. Dennis Nolan of Las Vegas has requested a bill to make failure to wear a seat belt a primary offense.
And there are two requests for bills to prohibit texting while driving.
Munford said he was prompted to ask for the bill restricting cell phone use after a large family came to his home. One member had been seriously injured in a crash by a driver who was believed to be talking on the cell phone.
Munford said he hasn’t determined whether to propose using a cell phone while driving as a primary or secondary offense.
A primary offense allows a police officer to stop a motorist if he sees the driver talking on the phone. A secondary offense would permit the officer to issue a citation if the stop was made for another reason and the motorist had been using the cell phone.
There are no statewide statistics available to determine how many accidents are caused by drivers talking on cell phones.
In 2009, Nolan introduced two bills to prohibit text messaging while driving. Both passed the Senate but died in the Assembly.
Now, two bills have again been requested to stop motorists from texting.
One request comes from Sen. Shirley Breeden, D-Henderson, and the other is being sought by Assembly members Kelvin Atkinson, Marilyn Kirkpatrick and John Oceguera, all of Las Vegas Democrats, and Debbie Smith, a Democrat from Sparks.
Leslie, meanwhile, is introducing a bill that would require some people convicted of drunken driving to have a device installed on their car that the driver has to blow into before starting the engine. If the device detects alcohol, it won’t allow the car to start.
Leslie said she doesn’t know whether the bill will require all person convicted of DUI to use the device.
There’s a law on the books already that requires some more serious DUI offenders to use the device, which costs $65 to $110 a month.
Under new legislation, Leslie said, the device might be required if a first-time offender had a blood-alcohol level above a certain level.
“This is not a panacea,” Leslie said of her proposal. “But it will hold people accountable.”
On another issue, Nolan intends to make it a primary offense not to wear a seat belt. He could not be reached for comment.
In the latest survey by the state Office of Traffic Safety, 90 percent of people in the front seat of autos were buckled up. That survey was released in September, and the count was done during the day. It did not include those in the back seat.
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good about time, i passed a girl who was texting whilst drinking coffee and trying to drive on the 215, what a stupid girl!
Both are now illegal in crappy NY. Just one more excuse for 5-0 to pull you over and look for more things they can get $ from you for.
If anyone thinks it is OK to not pay attention to your driving and other people on the road they are putting all around them in danger of being killed. As a result, such people should no longer have the privilege of driving.
United_727 I challenge you to type a 60 letter message whilst driving at 60MPH on the I15 in busy traffic, it is preferable you have young children in car too, would you feel safe enough to text 60 letters and drive with youngsters lives in your hands?
A cell phone/texting law is imperative here in NV! Other states have it and it is about time we followed suit. Whenever a vehicle is driving slowly, erratically or downright doing something stupid, when I do pass them, typically they are talking on the phone. It costs $20 for a bottom of the line bluetooth device, which works as well as the more expensive ones. That is the price of half a tank of gas. If you can afford to drive, you can afford a bluetooth. People talking on their cell phone or worse, texting are just as dangerous as drunk drivers. This needs to be stopped! Granted, it's just another reason for Metro to pull you over, but it is very necessary!
if you are texting it is not a stupid reason for metro to pull you over, it is essential they pull you over and stop you killing someone, as it is essentially manslaughter if you did.
"...i passed a girl who was texting whilst drinking coffee and trying to drive on the 215..."
markp -- that's nothing, I've seen them putting on makeup, reading from documents into cell phones, all while heading down the freeway at speed. What always gets me are the ones talking into their phones and GESTURING, no hands at all on the wheel.
TropWorker -- there is an anti-texting law in place.
Never forget the people have the right to use the public right-of-ways. Some restrictions make sense (driving while impaired), many don't pass Constitutional scrutiny (licensing and insurance, for starters). Mostly traffic laws are meant to be violated for the purpose of revenue.
Will these laws apply to Metro and their computers, cell phones, and radios? They drive faster and have more communication devices than anyone.
Maybe cell phone companies should have to pay for more education on the matter.
By ThisOneGuy: Will these laws apply to Metro and their computers, cell phones, and radios?
Good point... Whats good for the goose is good for the gander.
I don't think a total ban on cell phones while driving is the answer. If you talk with a hands-free device then that should be okay. Texting however should be banned and the fine should be hefty. Citizens should also be able to report Police officers who text, use their computer, talk on the cell phone, run red lights, and speed. They blatantly do all of the above, the latter two without their lights on.
ThisOneGuy, noone, JerryWayne -- all excellent points.
Nevada should look at the California laws brecause it's working and generating revenues for that state. It's getting worse here in Vegas, last night, a teenager on a phone was on a left turn lane, drove to the main lane and cutting me off by a few inches to spare. I had to apply a hard brake to avoid her and the worst part was she did even notice what stupid thing she did.
This is patently absurd. There are already laws against "driving while distracted" and that should be enough. Enforce the laws you already have, and treat driving like they do in Germany (serious license testing, instead of Cracker Jack handouts of licenses) and the problem will be adequately addressed.
A handsfree cell law can't come soon enough!...We have some of the worst drivers in Vegas who become even more dangerous when they text or talk. After all, these are people who can't walk and chew gum simultaneously let alone text/talk while maintaining their lane at the speed limit or stopping on red.
Yes, a "hands free" law would also eliminate the spanking your monkey problem.
Real. Driver. Training. Without it, traffic laws are useless.
* * *
German driver's license cost: $2000
Professional Behind-the-Wheel Instruction Required: 25-45 hours
Professional Theory Required: 12 hours
What is so hard about this? Put the laws on the books for no cell/texting use while driving and make it a primary offense. Just wondering....
"What is so hard about this? Put the laws on the books for no cell/texting use while driving and make it a primary offense. Just wondering...."
There is already a law on the books. It regards "driving while distracted."
Enforce the laws we have before you start making more. Simple!
texting and driving is a disaster! i cant count anymore about all of these morons on the road texting and taking up 2 lanes driving and being clueless, then they honk at me or give me the finger yelling at me because they cant drive if their life depended on it!!
im so f**king sick of these aholes that keep doing it and cant drive! if one ever hits me i will literally beat the crap out of them for hitting me and texting.
+1 for RPJ.
Cellphones certainly create exacerbate the fact that an overwhelming majority of people in this city can't drive well to begin with. I've driven in any number of cities from Manhattan to Matamoros and I've only seen worse driving in one place: Pahrump.
Hands-free and no texting is fine. Interlock for DUI convictions? Sure.
But do we really need seatbelts to be a primary offense? What's the point of protecting the brain/person too stupid to protect itself?
Also, maybe my Republican friends can fill me in on this but don't these laws create more government regulation and isn't that supposed to be a bad thing?
No texting, fine, but the use of cellphones hands-free should be allowed.
Seatbelt laws need to be kept as a secondary offense. The Fourth Amendment has been gutted enough without giving Metro another excuse to pull someone over.
Texting while driving is stupid, dangerous behavior and I cannot believe that anyone who currently texts while driving will cease when the law is passed.
"Texting while driving is stupid, dangerous behavior and I cannot believe that anyone who currently texts while driving will cease when the law is passed."
Whoa, slow down there. Making sense here is only permitted every TENTH comment.
:)
"Nevada should look at the California laws brecause it's working and generating revenues for that state. "
Maybe you should look at the economic state of California again.
I am all for public safety too --
But wouldn't we all be much safer if Metro was simply disarmed and the Harvey Munfords', Sheila Leslies', Dennis Nolans', Shirley Breedens', Kelvin Atkinsons', Marilyn Kirkpatricks', John Ocegueras', Debbie Smiths' all had IQ's above 3 ?
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I wish I had the freedom not to wear a seatbelt. I should have the right to wear one or not. I do believe that using a cellphone in anyway while driving is a hazard to the public. Pull over off the road if you want to talk or text.
Yes, laws on the books. That works real well with illegal immigration!