According to a recent Boston Globe article, Massachusetts is a step closer to banning drivers in the Commonwealth from using a handheld cellphone while at the wheel.
The Legislature’s Joint Transportation Committee recently approved a bill that would outlaw drivers in Massachusetts from dialing numbers, talking on, or even holding a cellphone while driving.
The Committee unanimously voted 8-0 in favor of the bill, which will now travel to the House and Senate for review. If the bill were to eventually become law, Massachusetts would be the 10th state in the U.S. that prohibits drivers from using their cellphones.
The proposed bill would let drivers communicate using hands-free technology but nothing more. Drivers who have cellphones that aren’t equipped with this type of technology will have to pull over to make a call or will have to wait to talk on their phones once they reach their destination.
Massachusetts passed the Safe Driving Law in September of 2010 which prohibited drivers ages 18 and younger from using a cellphone while at the wheel. The Safe Driving Law also banned all Massachusetts drivers from texting.
Since the Safe Driving Law was put into effect, one of the challenges that law enforcement has faced has been telling the difference between when a driver is dialing a number on a cellphone or when they’re texting. If the newly proposed bill by the Committee is eventually made into law, there would no longer be a need to differentiate the two actions, as both would be illegal.
In the coming months, we should have an update on where this bill stands in the Legislature. Until then, remember to drive safely.
When Should You Call a Massachusetts Car Accidents Attorney?
Have you or a loved one experienced serious injuries in a car accident in Massachusetts due to another driver’s distracted driving?
Call a Massachusetts car accidents attorney with Kiley Law Group at 800-410-2769 to find out about your legal options.
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