Cell Phone Driving: It Should Be Illegal. Supplemental Article #3
On November 24th of 2008 I published an article called ‘Cell Phone Driving: It Should Be Illegal’. In that article I documented true-life experiences observed on the roadways of southeastern Wisconsin. These are occurrences that most motorists would probably notice and then forget. In my situation, I noticed them and documented them.
On January 30th of 2009 I published a ‘Part 2’ to that article. In the second article I outlined the fact that commercial vehicles need to be put ahead of other motorists in a cell phone driving ban because of how I witnessed a county plow operator carelessly do unnecessary property damage while performing his snow plowing duties as he was cell phone driving. In this second article I clearly mentioned school bus drivers as one of the occupations that need to be included in a cell phone-driving ban. In this second article I also briefly mentioned the death of a local teenager due to cell phone driving.
February of 2009 I am electronically tracked down by one of the big safety commissions out there as they showed a sincere interest in my cell phone driving articles and showed appreciation for me documenting my observations regarding these issues. At the time of my contact with these people, it was clear the organization wanted such laws in place. I however, knew this was a big process and may be difficult to accomplish any time soon.
Being optimistic, I welcomed them to use my writings in any way they can to help get such laws passed.
April 28, 2009 in the middle of the day, in Madison Wisconsin, the State Senate makes it illegal for school bus drivers to use cell phones on their buses.
The measure forbids bus drivers and anyone else transporting students from using any wireless communications device while the vehicle is on the road or loading or unloading passengers.
Violators could be fined $200.00 for the first offense. Subsequent offenses could result in $500.00 fines and loss of bus driving privileges. (Source of this news: WKOW-TV Madison Wisconsin right after the law was passed)
This is a huge step in the State of Wisconsin because it is Statewide and affects some tens of thousands of vehicles statewide. Wisconsin is headed in the right direction, however as you can see here, it could be a slow road to a all out State wide cell phone driving ban for all motorists. As we’ve seen here, it could happen in chunks and sections, or even one city at a time. One thing is for sure, … we need the laws in place to reduce accidents and make our roads safer to drive on.
Keep in mind that having this law is a huge success; but buses and students can still get hurt because of cell phone driving. That’s right! The offending cell phone driver doesn’t have to be the bus driver. It could be someone in a car or truck that hit’s the bus or its students while they are cell phone driving. We need the laws to apply to everyone operating a motor vehicle of any kind.
I would like to think that in some small way, all the people out there asking for a cell phone driving ban, including myself, … played a roll in getting this new Wisconsin law passed. To all the safety commissions out there working to get this done, I have one thing to say to you. ‘Thank you’.
Reporter Joseph Toth
Washington Micro Bank BBS
