A motor vehicle bill passed both the House and Senate easily this session, yet it was still lingering Friday as legislators were scrambling to adjourn for the year. The catch: whether drivers should be able to pick up their smartphones and text or check their email while stopped in traffic.
The Senate said no. The House, yes. Friday afternoon, the Senate won.
A House-Senate conference committee reached agreement on a change in the law that says as of July 1, drivers may not use hand-held electronic devices even while stopped in traffic, a loophole that slipped through last year’s hand-held cellphone ban.
“If we’re going to ban texting, why not do the whole thing?” said Sen. Dick Mazza (D-Grand Isle), chair of the Senate Transportation Committee. “To me, it’s more dangerous at intersections to check your phone, because people are crossing the street.”
Drivers will be allowed to use devices if they pull completely off the road or if they are stopped in a drive-through or a parking lot, Mazza said. “If they want to text in the drive-through of McDonald’s and the car’s not moving, that’s fine,” he said.
House conferees unsuccessfully argued that it can be safer for drivers to have the option to check their phones at a stoplight rather than be tempted to check while driving.
Both chambers signed off on the agreement Friday night, sending the bill to Gov. Peter Shumlin.
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Dick Mazza’s comment makes no sense. If a driver is checking their phone at a stoplight, they’re not going to be moving such that they could hit pedestrian’s crossing. The worst that will happen is that they will miss the green and get honked at.
Everyday, it seems that we see drivers breaking the existing law. The accident in Johnson this week was unnecessary. It was also a sad reminder that more education is necessary.
It is logical to think that many guests to our state are not aware of Vermont’s handheld law. Younger drivers, likewise, might benefit from visible reminders.
I hope that more signs are planned for installation, especially at ‘gateways’ to Vermont. It seems reasonable that signs should be placed at significant impact points; school/college parking lot exits; entrance ramps to Interstates; hotel/motel parking lot exits; and, shopping center exits.
Mobile phone use while driving is a proven killer. Sadly, much of the inherent confusion could be eliminated with federal legislation.
that’s all great…BUT WHO’S GOING TO ENFORCE IT? i see police driving by hand-helds all the time AND DO NOTHING!!!! so its much ado about nothing cause it can’t/won’t be dealth with.
This is complete bullshit! I see cops wih phones in the freakin hands. And i cant check mine while im stopped at a red light. My cars not in motion . Dosnt matter.