Thursday, June 20, 2013

FAIRFIELD-SUISUN, CALIFORNIA

99 CENTS

Frazier introduces bill to outlaw hands-free texting

By Heather Ah San
From page A4 | February 14, 2013 | 6 Comments

FAIRFIELD — Assemblyman Jim Frazier, D-Oakley, has introduced a bill to outlaw voice-activated, hands-free texting.

State law currently allows drivers to send and receive text messages or emails while driving as long as it’s through a hands-free or voice-operated system.

“Study after study has shown that all distractions endanger driver, passenger and bystander safety,” Frazier said in a press release. “Distracted drivers cause more than 5,400 deaths – 15 per day – and about half a million injuries – 1,200 per day – every year. Among those killed or injured in these crashes, nearly 1,000 deaths and 24,000 injuries included cellphone use as the major distraction.”

Frazier said Assembly Bill 313 is an important fix to what he calls a dangerous traffic law. He said that research suggests there is little or no difference in crash risk using hand-held or voice-activated devices because both cause “inattention blindness.”

Reach Heather Ah San at 427-6977 or hahsan@dailyrepublic.net. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/HeatherMalia.

Heather Ah San

Heather Ah San covers Rio Vista, features and general news for the Daily Republic. She received her bachelors of art degree from the University of Oregon.

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Discussion | 6 comments

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Steven KaysFebruary 14, 2013 - 6:18 am
Solano welcomes efforts by Lois Wolk, Jim Frazier, Pete Sanchez, Mike Hudson, Harry Price and others with improving road safety. Road safety involves many things. These include driving under the influence and much more.
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Mr. PracticalFebruary 14, 2013 - 8:16 am
Sometimes there is a fine line between public safety and governement intrusion. What's next? Not being able to use your phone hand's free at all (hand's free texting is really no different than talking on your phone hand's free)? Eating potato chips while driving? Reaching for your sunglasses? Talking to your passenger? Where would you draw the line?
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Typical County WorkerFebruary 14, 2013 - 9:15 am
First lets enforce the laws on the books regarding cell phone use. I see multiple violations on a daily basis.
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Felicitas DominguezFebruary 14, 2013 - 10:15 am
I would vote on that bill it would prevent accident and have people focus more on driving not on there phone.......Felicitas Dominguez Aka Cita'z
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MarkFebruary 14, 2013 - 4:01 pm
Wonder if there are any studies that show the accident rates of various distractions while driving a vehicle. eating, putting on makeup, talking, rowdy kids, texting, phone calls etc. Is the new law really going to stop any accidents? I still see people all the time talking on their phone with it held up to the side of their face.
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CD BrooksFebruary 15, 2013 - 5:49 am
Laws are only effective if they are enforced. I believe hands free devices for talking are okay but I don’t know anything about voice texting. If you can do these keeping hands on the wheel and eyes to the road, I don’t have a problem with it. You can read about, see for yourself and hear stories every day about people diving while texting or talking on a phone. That is on top of the other abhorrent "skills" exhibited by morons behind the wheel. ALL traffic enforcement needs to be expanded to include zero tolerance and higher penalties. Until that happens, the accidents and ignorance will continue.
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