LANSING -- The Michigan Senate has just approved a ban on Texting while Driving, making it a secondary violation. They had been debating a version of the law that would make it a primary offence, meaning a police officer could pull a driver over for texting alone.
Both the Senate and the House have approved measures making it a secondary offense. That means the officer will have to have another reason to pull you over, other than texting, but could still ticket you for it. There are still differences and they will have to be reconciled before the bill goes to the Governor for her signature.
The Portage City Council has temporarily shelved their plans for a local ordinance banning texting behind the wheel. As proposed, their version could have been tougher than the state law, but the passage yesterday of a bill in the senate may make any ordinance they pass moot.
For one group of drivers, the ban is already in effect, as of this week. The Department of Transportation can’t ban texting at the wheel by all drivers, but they can ban it for commercial drivers, and that’s what Secretary Ray LaHood did yesterday. These Semi Drivers, rolling through Michigan are applauding the new rule. Jennifer Smith, president of Focus Driven says LaHood could and should have gone even further, banning all cell phone use, whether hand held or hands free. Violators could face civil and criminal penalties of up to $2,750.
