Author Archives: mariah

Cell Phone Citations are Higher for 2011

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The Cheyenne Police Department has given out 321 citations for the use of cell phones while driving for the first half of the year in the city, meaning the department is now expecting a higher number of citations this year. Last year a total of 481 citations were cited all together.

Department spokesman Sgt. Rob Dafoe says the increase is particularly in part due to special details which have targeted the problem.

“We had a special mobilization, among others, from May to June targeting cell phone use, and we had 63 citations from that effort alone,” he said.

“Talking with some of the officers, it’s like fishing in a tank out there. There are so many people doing it – and honestly most of them have ‘2’ county license plates. They know about the law and are just choosing to ignore it.”

Laramie County license plates begin with the number “2”.

Dafoe states that this and last year’s citations consisted mostly of tickets for talking on cell phones while driving with no hands-free device, and only a small percentage is due from texting.

The city currently has a fine of $125 for talking or texting while driving, and is a primary offense which means officers have the right to pull over anyone who is suspected of cell phone usage behind the wheel.

As of last year, the state now includes a $75 fine for texting while driving which is also considered a primary offense.

Councilman Don Pierson is a former police chief of Cheyenne who voted against the bill when it passed, agreeing that texting should be considered a primary offense due to the attention it takes from drivers on the road, but says talking on the phone should be a secondary offense, meaning officers only have the right to cite someone if they’ve already been pulled over for another offense.

Pierson also add that even though the ban began two years ago, he still has yet to see a study proving the number of reduced accidents in the city limits.

“We were supposed to get that report a year after it went into effect, and I still haven’t seen that,” he said. “If I had to guess, I would say that it hasn’t had a major impact on accident rates. There are a lot of things that distract drivers, and that ordinance really only tackles one thing.”
Council President Mark Rinne says he too would like to see a study along the same lines.

“It would be interesting to see that kind of data, if there is any like it,” he said. “I still see a lot of people ignoring it while I’m driving around.”

New Law Enforcment Reduces Distracted Driving

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Ray LaHood, Secretary for the Department of Transportation, says new strong laws and “highly visible” police enforcement have cut down texting and talking on cell phones while driving by a miraculous number in two cities.

New projects which have been federally funded have measured the increased effects of new law enforcement and public education seminars and campaigns in Syracuse, New York, and Hartford, Connecticut.

“These findings show that strong laws, combined with highly visible police enforcement, can significantly reduce dangerous texting and cellphone use behind the wheel,” says LaHood in a statement. “Based on these results, it is crystal clear that those who try to minimize this dangerous behavior are making a serious error in judgment, especially when half a million people are injured and thousands more are killed in distracted driving accidents.”

Each pilot program conducted in both the states was supported by $200,000 in federal funds and $100,000 in state funds. The state labeled the pilot programs as “Phone in One Hand, Ticket in the Other,” which was the main media campaign theme based off the successful national seat belt campaign, “Click it or Ticket”.

Syracuse police have issued precisely 9,587 citations during four periods over the past year for drivers talking or texting on their cellphones while driving. Hartford issued 9,658 tickets during the same period for illegal phone use.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration observed the usage of cellphones while driving before and after the new law enforcement crackdown in the two cities which alsooffered public awareness surveys at local DMV’s.

The department stated that both talking on cellphones and texting on cellphones behind an operating vehicle in Syracuse had decline by a third.

Hartford produced even more dramatic results showing a drop of 57 percent, nearly three-quarters, in the usage of talking and texting on cellphones while driving.

The department now says that NHTSA plans to test the same three-part formula, consisting of tough laws, strong enforcement, and public awareness, at now an unidentified statewide level.

A statement from the department says nearly 5,500 fatalities and a half-million injuries were a result from a distracted driver in 2009. Distracted driving traffic fatalities in 2009 account for up to 16 percent of all traffic accidents.

Thirty-four states, including the District of Columbia and Guam, currently have enacted texting-while-driving bangs, while nine states, including the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands, have banned all handheld cellphone use together while driving.

Study Shows One-Fourth of Accidents from Texting and Driving

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The Governors Highway Safety Association last week released fresh new research which shows the results of distracted driving across the county. The study proves that talking and texting on cell phones while driving are accountable for almost 25 percent of all car accidents in the United States.

The information was collected from a study called “Distracted Driving: What Research Shows and What States Can Do” which state officials read over 350 documents published between the years 2000 and 2011.
The report not only defines what distracted driving actually is, but also includes discussions on how distractions can lead to fatal car accidents and adds new ways and methods of refining the law to combat the dangers of distracted driving.

“Despite all that has been written about driver distraction, there is still a lot that we do not know,” GHSA Executive Director Barbara Harsha said, who watched the report develop. “Much of the research is incomplete or contradictory. Clearly, more studies need to be done addressing both the scope of the problem and how to effectively address it.”

The study concluded that one quarter of all crashes are caused from distracted driving, and found that drivers are frequently distracted about half the time on the road. It also points out that text messaging while driving is one of the easiest and dangerous ways to get into a car crash, with talking on cell phones while driving is next in line.

The authors of the study kindly suggest that state government agencies take a variety of steps, including leveraging low-cost edge and centerline rumble strips which alert motorists when they begin to move outside their driving lane, implementing distracted driving laws and programs, monitoring the usage of cell phones while driving with new laws being enacted, and evaluating other laws and programs which could benefit the citizens and government of the U.S.

One in Five Crashes in New York Due to Distracted Driving

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In the state of New York, a new recent national campaign/study in Syracuse suggests one in five crashes is due to distracted driving.

The U.S. Department of Transportation picked up New York as one of two cities in the country to scope out distracted driving in April of 2010. This is called the DOT’s Distracted Driving Enforcement Project which includes a combination of public seminars, law enforcement crackdown, police efforts, and public awareness including speakers from insurance companies and statistics. This was a year-long project was labeled as, “Phone in one hand. Ticket in the other”, which proved that cell phone and texting usage while driving had dropped by 32 percent in Syracuse.

U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Barbara J. Fiala, commissioner of Department of Motor Vehicles, publically announced the results from the campaign with law enforcement officials, similar to the national “Click it or Ticket,” campaign which was used to get individuals to wear their seatbelts in the car.

“The Distracted Driving Enforcement Project was an important step in capturing the public’s attention and communicating the message that talking on a cell phone or texting while driving will not be tolerated. We are pleased to have collaborated with the many dedicated partners that helped to make this unique initiative a success,” Chair of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee and Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Barbara J. Fiala said.

Over the course of this year-long project, more than $9,500 in tickets was issued.

Bills Seek Banning Cell Phone Usage in Cars

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Texting or talking on cell phones while operating a vehicle can possibly become illegal soon if one of two bills on Tuesday is approved by a House committee, however the use of hands-free devices would still be legal.

The House Transportation and Highways and Public Works Committee approved both bills, one of which was approved by Rep. Austin Badon dealing with any vehicles, by a 12-2 vote in New Orleans.

The original bill was meant for the use of commercial vehicles only but was changed for the use of all vehicles.

“No one has the right to put another person’s life in jeopardy,” said Badon. Drivers who use hand-held phones are “four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to harm themselves.”

Passing the bill is believed to allow the state half of the $94 million it would receive in federal funds divided amongst all the states that ban the use of cell phones while driving, making it a primary offense.

Officers have always had the right to pull over a driver and ticket them as long as something is declared as a primary offense.

“It’s a new carrot dangling out there,” Badon said.

Badon’s bill provides the first violation in exchange for $100 the second for around $150, and $50 more for the next two violations, giving the fourth an opportunity to attest to get it lowered.

Rep. Hollis Downs was approved to proceed all fines from the Transportation Trust Fund to help pay for improvements along the highway. He said that since the money is an excess, it will not be taking away any funds from any agencies.

Tougher Law Enforcement Would Cut Driving Distractions

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Despite Delaware’s strict laws against texting and driving with a car in motion, the roadways are still dangerous and action needs to be enforced.

Delaware police have issued more than 5,000 tickets to motorists since the law went into effect on the first of January.

A person can easily go out to the highway and get into a crash every day from distracted drivers either texting or talking on their cell phones.

State police say on Sunday a truck driver that was hauling potatoes missed a warning sign because he was talking on his phone.

A train had hit his truck and his potatoes were spilled all across the U.S. 113.

No one was hurt, luckily. But Distracted driving accidents are only increasing every day.

The U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood says distracted driving is currently the nation’s top driving priority.

Monday revealed new research that plans to step up all warnings and advertisements with law enforcement and hopefully cut driving accidents by a small percentage.

A brief test in Syracuse proved that both handheld cell phone use and texting behind the wheel had decline by one-third. Usages of cell phones and texting behind the wheel dropped by 57 percent in Hartford.

This was all conducted through many complains and education seminars by safety agencies, insurance companies, and law enforcement.

Safety Group Calls for More Cell Phone Ban Data

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It is currently legal in 41 states allowing drivers to use cell phones, and a leading highway safety organization recommends keeping it that way.

The Governors Highway Safety Association, GHSA, believes states should not ban anything yet until effective research has been done by states.

“The problem is the research is conflicting on the issue,” executive director of the group Barbara Harsha says, who advises on safety traffic. “We don’t know if handheld bans are effective, and we don’t know if they actually make the problem worse.”

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety last year said it found no reductions in crashes after the use of cell phones while driving was banned in California, Connecticut, New York, and Washington, D.C.

The National Safety Council believes handheld cell phones don’t expand and cover enough territory. “We think there is enough research to enact total bans, handheld, and hands-free,” say senior director of transportation initiatives at the NSC David Teater. “And there’s no evidence that hands-free devices provide any safety impact.”

The federal agency that tracks road deaths, otherwise known as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, says “we feel strongly there is robust evidence on the dangers of distracted driving,” says the administration’s director of communications.

The GHSA had made its recommendations after looking at research on distracted driving since the year 2000, which are about 350 studies.

This of course led to questions from governors and state legislators who are trying to unravel the unfolding aspects of road safety.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has made curbing distracted driving as a severe issue.

Some corporations are also trying to restrict the use of cellphones from employees while being in company vehicles. The use of cell phones is limited among federal workers.

Nine states and the District of Columbia have banned cell phones for all drivers, which makes the greatest motive from lawmakers.

Texting while driving is still illegal in 34 states, not including the District of Columbia. Twelve states had it banned in 2009, and 11 banned it last year, but only two have so far this year.

No states currently ban all cell phone use by all drivers of all ages.

Study Shows Risks of Texting While Driving, New Technology to Prevent it

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A recent study shows that cell phone use while driving increases the chance of getting into possibly fatal crashes. This study now prompts companies and safety groups, along with the U.S. government debate to have a crackdown on gadget use behind the wheel.

The Governors Highway Safety Association, otherwise known as GHSA, studied over 350 documents which reported the connection between cell phone usage and car crashes. It discovered a link between texting and higher safety risks while driving, and suggested states to allow their own research before deciding to ban phone usage while driving.

“States that have not already passed handheld bans should wait until more definitive research and data are available on these laws’ effectiveness,” the study concluded. “There is no evidence that cell phone or texting bans have reduced crashes.”

However, the GHSA suggested a ban on cell phone usage for teenage driver statewide because they are at the highest risk for crashes, being so new to the road and unaware of problems that could possibly occur.
“Despite all that has been written about drive distraction, there is still a lot that we do not know,” Barbara Harsha, the GHSA’s executive director said. “Clearly, more studies need to be done addressing both the scope of the problem and how to effectively address it.”

Safety groups like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration disagree.

“NHTSA agrees with the GHSA recommendation that states should take a data-driven approach in making decisions about whether to push for laws mandating certain driver behaviors,” said the spokeswomen for NHTSA, Lynda Tran“But we feel strongly there is robust evidence on the dangers of distracted driving.”
Before the research of GHSA, states began limiting roadway cell phone usage to hands-free devices including headsets and Bluetooth earpieces. Studies also show drivers using apps behind the wheel of their vehicle, which began cell phone regulation.

30 states currently prohibit all cell phone usage from new drivers, and require all conversations to be used with a hands-free device. 34 states have now banned texting while driving which has penalties of large fines on violators.

The federal government and wireless carriers are also trying to limit cell phone use while driving along with the states’ efforts. The Obama administration has also began thinking of adding warning labels, like the ones on cigarette packages, on phones to keep awareness to consumers about the dangers of texting and driving.

The U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood referred to distracted driving as an “epidemic” that has already killed thousands and injured almost half of a million people on the U.S. roads last year.
T-Mobile and Sprint are also taking action to fight against distracted driving. T-Mobile is adding a “DriveSmart” service to its menu to disable functions of the phone once the vehicle starts moving by sensing rapid movements between cell towers. Once the vehicle is on the road for ten seconds, the service automatically sends out voicemail with a message which explains that the person is driving.
Sprint’s “DriveFirst” feature also includes many of the same features. The services can be disable in the event of an emergency.

As long as distracted driving doesn’t continue to remain a problem, governments and many corporations will likely continue to focus on this issue until it is resolved. Stricter regulations and more services like DriveSmart should be the new wave of protection for the younger crowd as technology expands.

Justin Bieber’s Anti Texting Campaign, Shady?

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Justin Bieber is now introducing a new campaign to try and prevent texting and driving. He is taking necessary steps to send the right message, however he is teaming up with a company known for being run-down and was run by a felon until just recently.

“It is tragic that almost on a daily basis there are reports of deaths and severe injuries caused by drivers who are texting and driving,” Bieber said in a statement yesterday announcing his new partnership with the makers of the anti-texting software PhoneGuard. “We need to change the attitudes in our society toward texting and driving and I am making it one of my personal goals to make this happen.”
Justin Bieber is extremely serious about trying to curb texting and driving. He is now even the part-owner of Options Media Group Holdings (OPMG), a floundering tech company out of Boca Raton, Florida which is a distributor for PhoneGuard technology. Justin Bieber was issued 121 million shares this year, which is 16 percent of the company, adding up to about a penny a share, which is a deal referred to as the company’s SEC filings called “The Bieber Agreement”.

The former president of OPMG, Anthony Sasso, resigned from his position after an online blog said he had been convicted of racketeering in 2004 for his role in a car theft incident. The CEO of OPMG, Scott Frohman, partakes in Money4Gold, Inc. which is a place to exchange your jewelry advertised on TV.
Because OPMG doesn’t have much experience in tech, it’s no surprise to the company that reported $10 million in losses the year before and has been barely able to maintain its financial deals since then. Last year at the time of the report, it had only enough money to last 45 days.

OPMG’s plan appears to look like it’s going to try to use Bieber to add stock and assets to the company through his new texting-while-driving awareness campaign, while incorporating the use of social media like Twitter and Facebook with regular updates. Timothy Sykes, who has criticized OPMG on his blog, says that even with the new team effort with Bieber, he still believe the company will fail. OPMG has issued more than a billion shares and is hoping Bieber can help boost sales.

Justin Bieber is also joining 50 Cent, Carmen Electra, and Shaq in financial investments with near-worthless penny stocks. 50 Cent apparently boasted about his H&H Imports investment on Twitter. Bieber’s camp is trying to become more savvy by adding his penny stock treasures to an awareness campaign. Sadly OPMG’s stock is still down a cent tonight, even after Bieber’s huge announcement to the world.