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"10 And 2" Texting And Driving Ban In Tucson – April Fools!

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with KGC Properties LLC, Tucson Property Management & Real Estate

It’s no April Fool’s joke – starting on April 1st, texting while driving will be illegal in the city of Tucson.  It shouldn’t have to be a law since common sense should remind us all that when you are driving – you should be paying attention to driving and what’s going on around the road.

Some facts about the new ordinance:

States that it is violation to compose or send a text message while driving.

What about reading a text? If you are in your car and it’s moving – it’s a violation.

It’s limited, but public safety workers are somewhat exempt from this violation when they are working and its part of their official duties.

It’s a primary enforcement violation – one ticket instead of two. In other words, it’s not like Tucson’s seat belt law, if a police officer sees you driving down the road texting, they can pull you over and write a ticket.  They don’t have to stop you for speeding or any other violation, write a ticket for that and then write you one for texting.

Minimum fines: no accident and texting - $100; accident and texting $250.

Is reading a text while stopped at a red light allowed? Probably.  The longest traffic light in Tucson is 52 seconds - a little longer during rush hours (I know it seems like forever some days – but really red lights don’t last that long.) That’s not a lot of time – so use your best judgment.

One of the problems?  Enforcing it for one and for another, people will text and drive anyway because some just don’t use common sense. 

Best thing to do? Keep your hands at 10 and 2 (o'clock) on your steering wheel and pay attention while driving.

Hmmm … maybe April Fool’s Day is a good day for this violation to begin!!

Posted by

Buying or selling Tucson real estate, Mt Lemmon, Tucson bank-owned homes, Tucson rental homes, or Tucson lease option homes? Visit www.KGCPropertiesLLC.com .

                                                 

 

This blog is written with my opinions and my opinions are  presented with accuracy but not guarantees. Please talk to a professional before making any real estate, financial or agency decisions.    Gabrielle Kamahele Rhind - 2014. If you want to reprint parts of this - just email me for my permission: KGCProperties@gmail.com .

 

Comments (13)

James Dray
Fathom Realty - Bentonville, AR

It's like when Huckabee was Governor he had a bill passed that outlawed smoking in restaurants.  People were up in arms but now when we go to Missouri it just smells of stale cigarettes in some places <sigh>

Feb 22, 2012 07:40 PM
Wallace S. Gibson, CPM
Gibson Management Group, Ltd. - Charlottesville, VA
LandlordWhisperer

Watching the news, it appears texting while WALKING is also very dangerous - one injured texter in the ER walked into traffic....STATIONARY texting ONLY!

Feb 22, 2012 07:51 PM
Rob Thomas
Prestige Homes of The Tri Cities, Inc. CALL....423-341-6954 - Bristol, TN
Bristol TN-VA & Tri Cities Agent, ABR, GRI, e-Pro

Gabrielle ....Good point about just keeping your hands at 10-2 and then you don't have to worry .....I still find myself reading at red lights ...I just never thought to time them ...good idea!  Have a great day!

Feb 22, 2012 07:55 PM
Harry F. D'Elia III
WEDO Real Estate and Beyond, LLC - Phoenix, AZ
Investor , Mentor, GRI, Radio, CIPS, REOs, ABR

How are the police going to enforce this new rule is my question?

Feb 22, 2012 08:10 PM
Dorie Dillard Austin TX
Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899 - Austin, TX
NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones

Hi Gabrielle,

I think you are right..maybe it is a good thing your new law goes into effect on April Fools Day! It's amazing to me the number of people I see that continue to try and multi-task while driving a car! Such a great example for our young people in the cars..not!

Feb 22, 2012 08:47 PM
Erv Fleishman
Realty Associates - Boca Raton, FL
Luxury Prop Specialist Realty Associates

The police will text  you wth a ticket. 

 

Feb 22, 2012 08:47 PM
Peter den Boer
Atlanta Communities - Woodstock, GA
MBA,GRI, Associate Broker, Realtor

Gabrielle - 52 seconds? I am more amazed that you knew this than about the texting issue! Now I want to go time all the lights around here to see how long they are, LOL! You are a wealth of information.

Feb 22, 2012 08:48 PM
Cindy Edwards
RE/MAX Checkmate - Johnson City, TN
CRS, GRI, PMN - Northeast Tennessee 423-677-6677

lol, I am with Peter, I'm amazed that you know this fact about 52 seconds.  I totally agree with this new law.  Texting while driving is dangerous and should not be done, PERIOD.

Feb 22, 2012 09:01 PM
Richard Iarossi
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage - Crofton, MD
Crofton MD Real Estate, Annapolis MD Real Estate

Gab,

I'm not one for a a lot of government rules and regulations, but this is one that needs to be implemented and enforced everywhere. After that, then we can eliminate reading a book while driving, putting on makeup, shaving, and all the other stupid things I see people do.

Rich

Feb 22, 2012 09:07 PM
Harley Wilcox
West Group Real Estate - Victor, ID
Harley Wilcox

Some people have difficulty just driving on the icy roads up here in the north country. Help us all if they tried to text as well!

Feb 22, 2012 09:55 PM
Ralph Janisch ABR CRS Broker
Janisch & Co. - Conroe, TX
Selling Northwest Houston to good people like you!

It's almost incomprehensible that people will try to text while driving.  I'm guilty of glancing at tweets as they come in.  But, if it appears to be something I need to address I'll stop and do it.  May it's because I can't concentrate on but 10 or 15 things at any given moment and can't handle one more.

Feb 22, 2012 10:41 PM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

I am so sick of new laws. I know, I know, they protect someone. But I'm tired of Big Brother protecting me.

How about we all just use some common sense and behave with consideration for each other?

Feb 23, 2012 02:02 PM
Charles Stallions
Charles Stallions Real Estate Services - Pensacola, FL
850-476-4494 - Pensacola, Pace or Gulf Breeze, Fl.

We have to pass laws for common sense issues now, what a joke.

Feb 24, 2012 10:07 AM