Safe Driving Legislation Passed the House. Learn More About It Here.
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Yesterday we passed safe driving legislation in the House of Representatives. I wanted to outline some key components of this bill because it will have implications for all Massachusetts drivers.
The most recent draft of the bill is a compromise from previous versions, and its primary implication will be to prohibit texting and other electronic messaging while driving. All motor vehicle operators, including law enforcement will receive a $100 ticket for the first offense, $250 for the second offense and $500 for subsequent offences. These tickets, however, will have no impact on insurance rates. It is important to note that this bill designates texting while driving as a primary offense, meaning police can pull drivers over if they believe that the driver is texting. The bill does permit adult drivers (over age 18) to continue using cell phones while driving. Another significant facet of the bill is that it requires drivers 75 and older to renew their license in person at the RMV and undergo a vision test every 5 years.
The bill passed the Senate today and now moves to the Governor’s desk. I look forward to hearing his thoughts on it.
Full text of the bill can be found here.
If someone is texting at a stop, is that still cause to the police to give someone a ticket?
Yes, as long as the vehicle is in operation.
How will an officer differentiate pressing buttons to make a call using my headset vs. texting?