Effective July 1st, it will be illegal for any driver in Georgia who is under 18 and has an instruction permit or a class D license to use any wireless communication device while driving.
Gwinnett County drivers license suspension attorneys are hoping that the word gets out. Violators of the new law face a $150 fine.
The under-18 provision says that those drivers may not talk or listen on any wireless communication device, nor may they send or read texts - regardless of the type of device used.
Drivers under 18 are not the only people affected by the new law (Senate Bill 360 and House Bill 23) though:
All adults 18 and over with a Class C license are banned from writing, sending or reading text-based communication, including text messages, instant messages, e-mail, or internet pages.
Reporting emergencies or criminal acts, or threats to personal safety, are exempted from the ban.
None of the prohibitions apply when a vehicle is parked.
The Senate bill said "distractions caused by such devices, particularly the act of sending or reading text-based messages, has resulted in numerous traffic accidents, injuries and deaths...[Y]oung drivers are particularly susceptible to such distractions due to their inexperience and increased willingness to take risks while driving."
Governor Sonny Perdue signed the bills in early June. The law is a response to the increase in cell phone use in vehicles and the subsequent rise in distracted driving. Text messaging is even more dangerous than talking on the phone, prompting this action by the legislature.
- Source: Valdosta Times "What We Think: Distracted Driving" June 9, 2010 aar
