Washington State Bans Text Messaging While Driving

On May 11, 2007, the Washington State Governor signed into law a ban on sending text messages with a cell phone, Blackberry or other mobile device while driving; the law is expected to take effect in 2008. The ban is a secondary offense, meaning a driver must be pulled over for some more grievous infraction. In the United States, several states have already banned the use of cell phones while driving, but Washington is the first to impose a specific ban on the sending of text messages. New Jersey, Arizona and Oregon may be next.

According to industry statistics, Canadian mobile phone customers sent more than 4.3 billion person-to-person text messages in 2006, almost triple the 1.5 billion messages sent in 2005. Although there is no data on how many text messages are typed or read by drivers, or how often the activity leads to collisions, the developments across the border may influence legislators in Canada.

There is a general ban on the use of cell phones while driving in Newfoundland and Labrador. A recent court challenge to this ban was unsuccessful. In Ontario, a private member’s bill was introduced to ban the use by novice drivers on highways of cellular phones, car phones, pagers, personal data assistants, portable computers, fax machines or other equipment designated by regulations, but it has not progressed past second reading in the Legislature.

For additional information, visit:

http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2007/05/14/texting-driving.html

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Washington State Bans Text Messaging While Driving