No Talking and Driving
We’ve all done it. Busy lives coupled with the fact that most Americans own cell phones, means that at one point or another, most people have talked on their phone while driving. While it can be a distraction, dangerous and annoying to fellow drivers, talking while driving will also soon be illegal in Hawaii.
Mayor Hannemann is set to sign into law Bill 4—which was approved in a 6-1 vote by City Council members April 22—this Thursday. The law going into effect July 1. The law is a blanket ban on the use of any electronic mobile device while driving. So, no talking on the phone, texting, playing hand held video games, checking your pager, working on your laptop or scrolling for that playlist on your iPod. However, if you have a hands-free device, such as a Bluetooth, you’re free to chat away while driving or in the case of an emergency you’re allowed to dial 911. (Emergency responders and drivers who use two-way radios are also exempt from the ban’s restrictions.)
Hannemann vetoed a cell phone ban earlier this year because it would have been too difficult for HPD to catch violators and enforce the law. Council members had tried and failed to pass a ban in 2002. The new legislation—this time supported by HPD and the prosecutor’s office—allows an officer to pull you over and fine you $100, without explicitly stating whether you were using an iPhone or an iPod and how that device was being used at the time. Simply put, the law’s blanket banning on using any electronic device while driving makes it easier for officers to enforce and doesn’t allow any loopholes for violators.
“We’ve all been behind a guy who sits at a green light because he’s on his phone,” says Bill Brennan, Mayor Hannemann’s spokesperson. “It’s a distraction, driving needs attention.” He adds the Mayor’s office believes it will cut down on traffic accidents, increasing overall safety.
This is nothing new to Hawaii’s military, who can be pulled over by the military police for talking or texting while driving when on a military base. Pearl Harbor Naval Base frequenters are not even allowed to use hands-free devices while on the road.
To be safe—and to avoid getting a ticket—HPD recommends pulling over if you receive a call while driving, or simply waiting until you’ve reached your destination before replying to your voice or text messages.
“It’s going to some adjustment from the community,” says Brennan, in terms of breaking the habit to talk/text and drive. However, according to the City Council, many community members support the bill, and Brennan adds that even cell phone providers seem be behind the ban. “They don’t want to be the bad guy in this,” he says.
Do you drive and talk or text? How do you feel about this new law? My guess is it will be like speeding; most people will still do it, but refrain when they spot a police car.
