1st January 2002, 06:55
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Santa Fe Bans Driving While Talking on Cell Phone
See highlighted text: Thank god!!
Arie
Quote:
Santa Fe Bans Driving While Talking on Cell Phone
Monday December 31 1:51 PM ET
SANTA FE, N.M. (Reuters) - Drivers in Santa Fe planning to wish friends a Happy New Year on Tuesday better not reach for a hand-held cell phone.
The New Mexican capital on Jan. 1 joins a small but growing number of U.S. localities that say hand-held cell phones are unsafe because they distract drivers.
Hands-free cell phones will still be lawful within the Santa Fe city limits, but the ordinance taking effect on New Year's Day adds talking on hand-held cell phones to a list of other outlawed driving activities, like shaving and applying makeup.
``I believe it will keep the streets much safer. It allows drivers to keep both hands on the wheel and maybe pay a little bit more attention,'' said Sgt. Alex Montoya of the Santa Fe City Police Department.
The police department has launched an advertising blitz to let drivers know of the new law, including a reminder that a violation of the ban can result in a traffic citation and fine of up to $30, Montoya said.
New York is the only state to pass a state-wide measure banning hand-held cell phone use while driving, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (news - web sites) (NHTSA).
At least 10 local jurisdictions, including Marlboro, New Jersey, and Lebanon, Pennsylvania, now restrict drivers to using only hands-free cell phones while driving and at least 300 more are considering similar rules, the NHTSA said.
The Santa Fe ordinance is an amendment to an existing careless driving law that prohibits driving while, for example, putting on makeup or shaving.
``The ordinance came about as a request from a constituent who had a near miss with someone talking on a cell phone,'' said City Council member Miguel Chavez, who sponsored the ordinance. Chavez said the council's decision last summer was based almost entirely on anecdotal evidence.
``We didn't have a lot of information when we did it, but it did seem to pose a safety threat,'' he said.
In an informal poll conducted by the NHTSA, 75 percent of more than 1,000 respondents said they believed it was not safe to talk on a cell phone while driving. Another 22 percent thought it was safe, while 3 percent were unsure.
Based on research showing that cell phone use increases the risk of accidents, the NHTSA, in the past, has recommended that cell phones not be used by the drivers of a moving vehicle.
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