In California, talking or texting on a cellphone on anything other than a handsfree device has been illegal for some time. Other states have yet to enact such wide-ranging measures, but not for lack of trying. If one Maryland lawmaker gets his way, that state’s ban on cellphone usage at the wheel would become similar to our own.
The legislator wants to make talking on a cellphone while driving a primary offense, making it possible for a law enforcement official to pull a vehicle operator over just for engaging in the act. Currently, a driver must also be breaking some other traffic law in order for a police officer to pull that person over.
The lawmaker out of Baltimore Country believes that focusing on texting and driving first was the wrong move and that cellphone driving should have been addressed first. Others aren’t so sure. One citizen agrees that rising rates of cellphone fatalities need to be addressed, but that same person also suggests that some cellphone usage is permissible, depending on the circumstances.
It should be noted that this isn’t the first time a lawmaker has tried to get tough on cellphone distraction. Previous efforts have failed. But the bill’s proponent believes that once the bill reaches the Senate, support will be enough to ensure passage.