New York to Ban Use of Cell Phones While DrivingNew York is expected Monday to become the first state in the U.S. to ban the use of handheld cell phones while driving.The state Assembly is scheduled to pass legislation hammered out last week with Gov. George Pataki and approved Thursday night by the state Senate. Under the bill, drivers in New York could be fined up to $100 after Dec. 1 if they are caught holding phones. For 30 days before that, police will issue warnings. The law's only loopholes: Handheld cell phones could be used in an emergency. And fines for first-time offenders could be waived until March 1 if drivers proved they bought a device that allows them to talk without holding the phone in their hands. To talk and drive legally, an estimated 6 million New Yorkers will have to buy hand-freeing equipment, which can cost from $15 for plug-in headsets to more than $200 for kits that allow phones to be cradled on the dashboard or console. A handful of states, including California, Arizona and Massachusetts, have adopted minor restrictions on cell phones and driving. Eleven local jurisdictions around the country have passed laws restricting the use of cell phones. This year, 41 states have had bills proposed to regulate yakking while driving, but most of the measures have died. Most states decided more research was needed on how much of a distraction cell phones cause before they are singled out for legislation. New York lawmakers moved ahead with the ban after three of the state's largest counties passed restrictions on using cell phones while driving and after a poll in March showed that 87% of New York voters said they favored a ban. |
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