If a violation occurs in a work zone, any fines assessed will be doubled.įollow OCJ Reporter Nick Evans on Twitter. Any additional offenses would mean four points assessed to the license, up to a $500 fine and a potential 90-day license suspension. Completing a distracted driving course, however, can avoid the points and fine.Ī second offense in two years jumps to three points and a fine of up to $250. The first offense within two years carries two points on a driver’s license and a fine of up to $150. Once police begin issuing citations in early October, successive violations will face escalating penalties. “You’ll see ODOT crews finishing up installation of 45 new signs,” Marchbanks said, “posted at the entrances to our beautiful state, on Interstate and US Highways and exits to our state’s largest airports in Akron, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Toledo.” New penalties In addition to the six-month, grace period Department of Transportation director Jack Marchbanks explained teams are busy installing signage along freeways. “Using a phone while you’re driving is something that affects people of all ages, races, and backgrounds,” she said. “When you picture the driver of the SUV,” Fullenkamp said, “You’re likely picturing a young driver - maybe even a teenager. Leah explained he died on the scene before first responders could get him to a hospital. John was driving a tractor between two fields when a driver who was shopping online rear-ended him. He handed the floor over to Leah Fullenkamp, whose husband John was killed by a distracted driver in 2018. It will spare many families the grief and the sorrow that unfortunately many of our families have suffered in the last few years because of distracted driving.” “This law will clearly save lives,” DeWine insisted. Mike DeWine was unequivocal about the benefits. “For example,” he offered, “Oregon and Washington saw significant drops in rear end crashes when they broadened their laws to prohibit holding a cell phone as compared to when they only had banned texting.” Governor’s messageĪt a press conference Monday, Gov. “Drivers have a responsibility to watch for people crossing the street or other drivers and bicyclists who haven’t yet cleared the intersection.”īut for all the confusion, Ohio Department of Public Safety chief Andy Wilson argued similar legislation in other states is “making a difference.” “Looking at your cell phone while stopped at a light can potentially endanger your family, friends, and neighbors,” it goes on to state. The website also says, “even if you can, that doesn’t mean you should.” In an indication of just how complicated the messaging will be, Ohio’s “ phones down” website lists using a phone while stopped at a traffic light as one of the law’s exceptions. Although drivers can’t dial a phone number while driving, they can talk with the phone up to their ear. But workarounds like voice-to-text or digital assistants like Siri are ok. But after the most obvious violations, things get murky.Įven brief interactions like dialing a phone number or entering an address are off limits. The new law comes with a six-month grace period in which law enforcement will pull over distracted drivers and give warnings to help educate the public.īrowsing the internet, streaming video, and playing games, of course are all off the table. The measure carries several exceptions, including allowances for hands-free operation, but Ohio Department of Transportation guidance warns, “in most cases, anything more than a single touch or swipe is against the law.” What’s in and what’s out? That means law enforcement can pull drivers over for using their phone without any other pretext. The life you save could be your own-or, more importantly, mine.Beginning today (April 4) it’s a primary offense to use your phone while driving. That makes it a must-have addition to your app arsenal. The icing on the cake? Text by Voice is free. But, hey, that's what car chargers are for. My only concern is the impact on battery life, as the app is constantly "listening" when it's running. I tested Text by Voice on a fairly low-end phone, the LG Optimus S, and found that it worked like a champ. That, my friends, is the way all smartphones should work. And if you want to compose and send a message, you simply say the activation phrase ("text by voice," of course). When a text message arrives, the app reads it aloud-and gives you the option of repeating it, replying to it, or ignoring it. Thus you can leave your phone up on your dashboard, at your side in a cupholder, or wherever, then go about the business of driving. As the above demonstration video, er, demonstrates, Text by Voice requires zero interaction with your phone (save for launching the app before you hit the road).
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