Conshohocken Police Cell Phone Presentation

CONSHOHOCKEN POLICE CELLUAR PHONE SAFETY & LEGISLATION OFFICER Dave Lennon

Critical Incidents
Los Angles, September 2008
Freight train Failed to stop for Red light signal hits commuter train head on
24 killed, 135 injured
40 incoming text messages

Critical Incidents
U.S. 301 Florida, Sept 2008
Semi rear ends school bus
13 yr old girl killed
Driver admits texting while driving

Current Legislation
Handheld Cell Phones : 7 states (Calif., Conn., Md., N.J., N.Y., Ore. and Wash.), D.C. and the Virgin Islands prohibit all drivers from using handheld cell phones while driving
Except for Maryland , all laws are primary enforcement —an officer may cite a driver for using a handheld cell phone without any other traffic offense taking place.
All Cell Phone Use : No state bans all cell phone use (handheld and hands-free) for all drivers, but many prohibit all cell phone use by certain drivers:
Novice Drivers : 28 states and D.C. ban all cell phone use by novice drivers.
School Bus Drivers : Bus drivers in 18 states and D.C. may not use a cell phone when passengers are present.

Current Legislation
Text Messaging : 28 states, D.C. and Guam ban text messaging for all drivers. 24 states, D.C., and Guam have primary enforcement. In the other four, texting bans are secondary.
Novice Drivers : An additional 9 states prohibit text messaging by novice drivers.
School Bus Drivers : 2 states restrict school bus drivers from texting while driving.
Some states such as Maine, N.H. and Utah treat cell phone use and texting as part of a larger distracted driving issue. In Utah, cell phone use is an offense only if a driver is also committing some other moving violation (other than speeding).

Current Legislation
Crash Data Collection : Many states include a category for cell phone/electronic equipment distraction on police accident report forms. Recently proposed federal legislation would require states to collect this data in order to qualify for certain federal funding.
Possible insurance carrier implications?
Preemption Laws : Many localities have passed their own distracted driving bans. However, some (for example, Fla., Ky., La., Miss., Nev., and Okla.) prohibit localities from enacting such laws.

Current Legislation
Jan 26, 2010 House approves bill to ban talking & texting.
$50.00 fine, hands free still legal.
Local municipalities are entitled to create & enforce local ordinances such as bans on cellular phones.

Conshohocken Legislation
Purpose and Policy .
It is the purpose of this Part and the policy of the Borough of Conshohocken to regulate the use of mobile telephones which are used while persons operating a motor vehicle in order to protect other persons operating motor vehicles and pedestrians in the Borough of Conshohocken .
Uses; Restrictions .
1. No person shall operate a motor vehicle on any street or highway while engaging in any conduct defined as the “use” of a mobile telephone, unless the operator maintains both hands on the applicable steering device.
2. Subsection (1) does not apply to a person who is using the mobile telephone:
A. To contact public safety forces.
B. While maintaining the vehicle in the park position either on public or private property.
C. With a “hands free device” which allows the operator to maintain both hands on the vehicle while using the mobile telephone.

Uses; Restrictions .
1. No person shall operate a motor vehicle on any street or highway while engaging in any conduct defined as the “use” of a mobile telephone, unless the operator maintains both hands on the applicable steering device.
2. Subsection (1) does not apply to a person who is using the mobile telephone:
A. To contact public safety forces.
B. While maintaining the vehicle in the park position either on public or private property.
C. With a “hands free device” which allows the operator to maintain both hands on the vehicle while using the mobile telephone.

Exceptions .
1. The provisions of this Part shall not apply to law enforcement officers, operators of emergency vehicles when on duty and acting in their official capacities.
2. The use of emergency 911 phone numbers shall not be prohibited for any person operating a motor vehicle in the Borough of Conshohocken.
Procedure Upon Violation .
Anyone who shall violate the provisions f this Part while operating his or her motor vehicle in addition to any other violation of the of the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle code and to the extent that such violations occurred shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $1,000 plus costs and, upon default of payment of said fine and costs, to a term of imprisonment not to exceed 30 days .

Safety Considerations
Driver Safety
Safety of Others
Health Concerns?
Work Place policy & Liability?
San Francisco’s cell phone law
" Numerous experts and government health and safety organizations around the world have reviewed the existing database of studies and ongoing research and concluded that RF products meeting established safety guidelines pose no known health risk .“
It's that "no known health risk" that's the clincher. Tobacco, asbestos, and downwind nuclear testing were once "no known health risk" as well.

University of Utah Study
"We found that people are as impaired when they drive and talk on a cell phone as they are when they drive intoxicated at the legal blood-alcohol limit” of 0.08 percent, which is the minimum level that defines illegal drunken driving in most U.S. states
Both handheld and hands-free cell phones impaired driving, with no significant difference in the degree of impairment.
“ Impairments associated with using a cell phone while driving can be as profound as those associated with driving while drunk,” they conclude.

Driver inattention is estimated to be a factor in between 20 to 50 percent of all police-reported crashes.
Driver distraction, a sub-category of inattention, has been estimated to be a contributing factor in 8 to 13 percent of all crashes.
Of distraction-related accidents, cell phone use may range from 1.5 to 5 percent of contributing factors.
However, large percentages of unknowns in each of those categories may cause inaccuracies in these estimations.

University of South Carolina planning to speak and speaking put far more demands on the brain’s resources than listening.
Measurement of attention levels showed that subjects were four times more distracted while preparing to speak or speaking than when they were listening.

Safety Tips
Get to know your cell phone and its features, such as speed dial and redial.
When available, use a hands-free device.
Position your cell phone within easy reach.
Suspend conversations during hazardous driving conditions or situations.
Do not take notes or look up phone numbers while driving.
Dial sensibly and assess the traffic. If possible, place calls when you are not moving or before pulling into traffic.

Safety Tips
Do not engage in stressful or emotional conversations that may be distracting.
Use your cell phone to call for help.
Use your cell phone to help others in emergencies.
Call roadside assistance or a special cell non-emergency assistance number when necessary.

No Phone Zone

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Conshohocken Police Cell Phone Presentation

by Brian Tobin on Sep 09, 2010

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Conshohocken Police Cell Phone Presentation — Presentation Transcript