In early June, Maine Governor Paul LePage signed “An Act to Prohibit Texting While Driving” into law, making Maine the 33rd state to ban the act for all drivers.
“All too often we see drivers with one hand on the wheel and their attention diverted from the road to a cell phone,” said Governor LePage. “While many motorists are able to multitask as they drive, the safest driving is done when drivers direct full attention to the road and their surroundings. The intent of this bill is to improve safety for everyone using Maine roads.”
A minimum $100 fine will be issued to drivers found to be texting while driving, a deadly combination. Drivers who use handheld devices are reportedly four times more likely to be involved in an accident resulting in serious injury.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 18 percent of fatalities in distraction-related crashes in 2009 cited a cell phone as the distraction.
Distraction.gov, the official U.S. government website for distracted driving, notes that the law will take effect Sept. 1 of this year. It follows a ban the state already has in place on all cell phone use for novice drivers, defined as those under the age of 18.
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