Those text messages that cost pennies to send may now end up costing $150, if sent from the driver's seat.
Jill Connor / The Citizen
The Cayuga County Legislature passed a law Tuesday that bans text messaging while driving and penalizes texters with a $150 fine.
The State Legislature has passed a similar law that has not yet been signed by the governor.
“I'm totally convinced it should be not only a statewide but nationwide ban,” said Legislator Ray Lockwood, R-Fleming, who chairs the Judicial & Public Safety committee of judicial practice.
The need for a texting ban is evident in the numbers, he said. Looking away from the road for even a few seconds - driving...txt u l8r - can be deadly.
Texting while driving is among the riskiest driving distractions, according to a study released Monday by the VirginiaTech Transportation Institution. The study concluded that texting increased the risk of an accident by 23 percent, making it the most dangerous of all cellphone-related activity.
Text messaging may be difficult for police to regulate, Lockwood said, but it is important for people to know that it is a practice no longer condoned by the county.
To emphasize the importance of minimizing distraction while driving, Lockwood gave an anecdote of an incident he witnessed while on the road recently.
“I went down the Thruway one day and I see a guy steering with his elbow, a cellphone crunched in his ear, eating a plate of pancakes and sausage,” he said. “Give me a break.”
In other news:
• At a full legislative meeting Tuesday night, the Cayuga County Legislature approved the routine 1 percent tax increase on the sales and uses of personal property and on occupancy of hotel rooms and amusement charges. The increase from 3 percent to 4 percent fulfills a requirement by state tax law.
• Cayuga County earned StormReady status from the National Weather Service, which recognizes the county as one prepared to respond quickly to life-threatening weather. StormReady is a community preparedness program that encourages counties to improve emergency communication structure and hazardous weather training.
• Chairman of the Legislature Peter Tortorici encouraged all legislators to attend the Economic Development Community Forum scheduled for 6:30 p.m. tonight at the Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES Aurelius campus.
The State Legislature has passed a similar law that has not yet been signed by the governor.
“I'm totally convinced it should be not only a statewide but nationwide ban,” said Legislator Ray Lockwood, R-Fleming, who chairs the Judicial & Public Safety committee of judicial practice.
The need for a texting ban is evident in the numbers, he said. Looking away from the road for even a few seconds - driving...txt u l8r - can be deadly.
Texting while driving is among the riskiest driving distractions, according to a study released Monday by the VirginiaTech Transportation Institution. The study concluded that texting increased the risk of an accident by 23 percent, making it the most dangerous of all cellphone-related activity.
Text messaging may be difficult for police to regulate, Lockwood said, but it is important for people to know that it is a practice no longer condoned by the county.
To emphasize the importance of minimizing distraction while driving, Lockwood gave an anecdote of an incident he witnessed while on the road recently.
“I went down the Thruway one day and I see a guy steering with his elbow, a cellphone crunched in his ear, eating a plate of pancakes and sausage,” he said. “Give me a break.”
In other news:
• At a full legislative meeting Tuesday night, the Cayuga County Legislature approved the routine 1 percent tax increase on the sales and uses of personal property and on occupancy of hotel rooms and amusement charges. The increase from 3 percent to 4 percent fulfills a requirement by state tax law.
• Cayuga County earned StormReady status from the National Weather Service, which recognizes the county as one prepared to respond quickly to life-threatening weather. StormReady is a community preparedness program that encourages counties to improve emergency communication structure and hazardous weather training.
• Chairman of the Legislature Peter Tortorici encouraged all legislators to attend the Economic Development Community Forum scheduled for 6:30 p.m. tonight at the Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES Aurelius campus.
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justventing wrote on Jul 29, 2009 8:05 PM:
CVA62 wrote on Jul 29, 2009 7:32 PM:
Hey, Mr. Lockwood! Have you ever seen anyone using their laptops (mounted on a purpose built riser or set on a brief case)....with cell phone under chin, Big Breakfast on lap, coffee in the left hand, paperwork jammed in steering wheel, while playing with a GPS at THRUWAY SPEED? (NO EXAGGERATION!)....I HAVE! MULTI-TASKING GONE WILD! Oh, yes. The EMP device should transmit the following message before frying the damn cell phone..."PLEASE HANG UP AND DRIVE SAFELY. THANK YOU. HAVE A GOOD DAY". How about a law requiring in vehicle admin assistants? "
FS II wrote on Jul 29, 2009 2:26 PM:
auburn~sucks wrote on Jul 29, 2009 1:13 PM:
truthserum wrote on Jul 29, 2009 8:39 AM: