LEO's, opinions and enforcement of cell phone use while driving laws

[Chris_562]

WV just passed a house bill, starting in July texting while driving will be a primary offense and talking on the phone without a hands free device will be a secondary offense. In July of 2013 talking on the phone without a handsfree device will be a primary offense.

In your areas, how have you been enforcing this, and how has the public accepted it?

 

[Hitman318]

Still a secondary offense, and its honestly not doing any good. We still have numerous MVA's due to distracted drivers. Until it becomes a primary offense I don't see it doing much here. Public looks as it as a joke and knows they cant be stopped for just that reason alone.

 

[svtcop]

They are only beginning to scratch the surface in Ohio.

Really behind most other states when it comes to this.

 

[Hlistr_07RR]

Still secondary unless they're texting. If you can't find a reason to yank someone, you need to go back to traffic law school

 

[slapshot]

We can't even get it passed here in FL. They were trying to make it a secondary offense this year, which is about useless from a law enforcement standpoint. We have many crashes from distracted drivers. But enforcing the laws like this are very hard and even harder to prove in court. Something needs to be done since drivers can't be responsible enough to pay attention while they drive. Texting/phones are just the newest thing on the list of things people do while driving (eating, drinking, shaving, putting on makeup, brushing their teeth, etc).

 

[Iceman II]

I have written for this law one time here in Texas (school zone). Going to be tough to see in a marked patrol unit unless their just brain dead.

 

[Chris_562]

A blanket primary offense for distracted driving would be great, I can already sense the amount of contested tickets I'll have for cell phone use while driving. I'm also curious to see how our prosecuting attorneys and magistrate court judges choose to prosecute the new impending cell phone laws.

 

[281cobra]

*removed by moderator - not a LEO*