No more driving on cell phones under 18!

[Furious]

This is a local thing which I'm happy about.

RICHMOND - Effective July 1, 2007, Virginia drivers younger than 18 years of age may not operate a motor vehicle in Virginia while using a cellular telephone or other wireless communications devices. The new law prohibits the use of cell phones, even if they are considered to be hands-free. It also prohibits text-messaging while driving.

The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) reminds motorists that operating a vehicle requires their full-time attention. Distracted driving is among the leading causes of crashes, especially for inexperienced and new drivers. Except in a driver emergency or when the vehicle is lawfully parked or stopped, drivers 18 years and younger need to turn off the cellular telephone.

"Teenage drivers have enough to worry about," said Virginia DMV Commissioner D.B. Smit. "If we can cut down on the distractions for a teen driver, the results can only be positive."

All Virginia drivers under the age of 18 are issued provisional driver's licenses. A provisional license carries other limitations as well, such as restrictions on the number of passengers and driver curfews. The ban on cell-phone usage while driving is considered a secondary violation, similar in Virginia to safety belt laws.

"Anything you do that takes away your attention from driving causes crashes," Smit said. "It's a distraction that none of us can afford but especially a teenager driver. For someone just learning how to drive, their attention needs to be fully on the road."

DMV encourages all drivers to avoid distractions by:

    * Keeping your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel at all times.
    * Set or adjust the controls on the vehicle and other devices as soon as you get in the car and before you begin driving.
    * Keep your body alert; sit straight, but relaxed. Look in the direction that you want to go.

[CrAz3D]

They should also add old people and women to that.
Hell, they just shouldn't let women drive

[trust]

This is an inconvenience for me, being a Virginia driver under 18. I have VZNavigator on my cellphone and frequently am plugging in addresses or searching for a business while driving if I'm unsure of how to get there. I'll be 18 in less than a month though, so whatever. It's obviously only a secondary offense because they don't know your age if they see you on the phone.

[AntiVirus]

Good luck enforcing this. 

[CrAz3D]

Good luck enforcing this. 

Its like trust said, they wont get you unless you do something else wrong too

[iago]

From what I understand, you typically drive on roads, not on cell phones. So I don't think it's a big deal.

Unless, of course, there's a mistake in the thread's title.

[AntiVirus]

From what I understand, you typically drive on roads, not on cell phones. So I don't think it's a big deal.

Unless, of course, there's a mistake in the thread's title.

Hahahaha!  I didn't even notice that.

[psychspy]

Good, this'll save my sister from being too cool, life forbid she gets a cell phone.  Oh, and a car, yeah, forgot about that.  I love it when she posts our home phone number on MySpace.  "pc4pc!!!!"  LOL omg j/k %%^^

[CrAz3D]

pc4pc?

[Furious]

This is an inconvenience for me, being a Virginia driver under 18. I have VZNavigator on my cellphone and frequently am plugging in addresses or searching for a business while driving if I'm unsure of how to get there. I'll be 18 in less than a month though, so whatever. It's obviously only a secondary offense because they don't know your age if they see you on the phone.

I'm sorry to burst your bubble - but realistically, you aren't anyone important.  You have no real need to drive and talk at the same time.  If you need to use navigator, pull over and park, it's not a difficult concept or just use mapquest before you leave.

[CrAz3D]

This is an inconvenience for me, being a Virginia driver under 18. I have VZNavigator on my cellphone and frequently am plugging in addresses or searching for a business while driving if I'm unsure of how to get there. I'll be 18 in less than a month though, so whatever. It's obviously only a secondary offense because they don't know your age if they see you on the phone.

I'm sorry to burst your bubble - but realistically, you aren't anyone important.  You have no real need to drive and talk at the same time.  If you need to use navigator, pull over and park, it's not a difficult concept or just use mapquest before you leave.

When I was pre-18 I needed my phone while driving.  There were times I my boss needed to call me while I was driving, I pretty REALLY should answer when my boss calls.

[psychspy]

pc4pc?

Brace yourself... picture comment for picture comment.

Here's a bucket for you to puke in. [_]

0wnt. ^^  Yeah, it's come down to pc4pc.  Makes me want to see these girls cry blood after I glare at them.

[CrAz3D]

W

[CrAz3D]

T

[CrAz3D]

F

[psychspy]

You see, this law is good.  Though it won't be enforced easily, cops should be able to have a new radar that detects these noobs' phones and scans for pc4pc in text messages they send while driving.  And hey, it turns out the cool kids send text messages more than they talk on the phone.  I hope they don't pass a red light while sending "pc4pc" and get rammed by a Ford F-350.  Which would be even funnier if a person simultaneously sends the text message with a picture taken by the phone's camera as the truck rams into the car.  gg no resurrection

[CrAz3D]

Those new F-Series superduties are KICKASS!!!

[Furious]

This is an inconvenience for me, being a Virginia driver under 18. I have VZNavigator on my cellphone and frequently am plugging in addresses or searching for a business while driving if I'm unsure of how to get there. I'll be 18 in less than a month though, so whatever. It's obviously only a secondary offense because they don't know your age if they see you on the phone.

I'm sorry to burst your bubble - but realistically, you aren't anyone important.  You have no real need to drive and talk at the same time.  If you need to use navigator, pull over and park, it's not a difficult concept or just use mapquest before you leave.

When I was pre-18 I needed my phone while driving.  There were times I my boss needed to call me while I was driving, I pretty REALLY should answer when my boss calls.

No, you never "really" needed to answer the call.  If he / she can't give you 30 seconds to pull over, then you've got some issues to workout.

[trust]

This is an inconvenience for me, being a Virginia driver under 18. I have VZNavigator on my cellphone and frequently am plugging in addresses or searching for a business while driving if I'm unsure of how to get there. I'll be 18 in less than a month though, so whatever. It's obviously only a secondary offense because they don't know your age if they see you on the phone.

I'm sorry to burst your bubble - but realistically, you aren't anyone important.  You have no real need to drive and talk at the same time.  If you need to use navigator, pull over and park, it's not a difficult concept or just use mapquest before you leave.

A lot of times I make plans with my mom while I'm driving (ie meeting for lunch or going somewhere or picking something up, etc.) Mapquest before I leave is inconvenient, requires paper, and doesn't help me if I get lost en route or need to add an additional stop. My mom pays the extra $10 partly for peace of mind.

[CrAz3D]

This is an inconvenience for me, being a Virginia driver under 18. I have VZNavigator on my cellphone and frequently am plugging in addresses or searching for a business while driving if I'm unsure of how to get there. I'll be 18 in less than a month though, so whatever. It's obviously only a secondary offense because they don't know your age if they see you on the phone.

I'm sorry to burst your bubble - but realistically, you aren't anyone important.  You have no real need to drive and talk at the same time.  If you need to use navigator, pull over and park, it's not a difficult concept or just use mapquest before you leave.

When I was pre-18 I needed my phone while driving.  There were times I my boss needed to call me while I was driving, I pretty REALLY should answer when my boss calls.

No, you never "really" needed to answer the call.  If he / she can't give you 30 seconds to pull over, then you've got some issues to workout.

If everyone pulled over instead of talkin while driving traffic would seriously be interrupted!  That is horrible to suggest

[AntiVirus]

This is an inconvenience for me, being a Virginia driver under 18. I have VZNavigator on my cellphone and frequently am plugging in addresses or searching for a business while driving if I'm unsure of how to get there. I'll be 18 in less than a month though, so whatever. It's obviously only a secondary offense because they don't know your age if they see you on the phone.

I'm sorry to burst your bubble - but realistically, you aren't anyone important.  You have no real need to drive and talk at the same time.  If you need to use navigator, pull over and park, it's not a difficult concept or just use mapquest before you leave.

When I was pre-18 I needed my phone while driving.  There were times I my boss needed to call me while I was driving, I pretty REALLY should answer when my boss calls.

No, you never "really" needed to answer the call.  If he / she can't give you 30 seconds to pull over, then you've got some issues to workout.

If everyone pulled over instead of talkin while driving traffic would seriously be interrupted!  That is horrible to suggest

Since everyone driving is under 18....?

[iago]

This is an inconvenience for me, being a Virginia driver under 18. I have VZNavigator on my cellphone and frequently am plugging in addresses or searching for a business while driving if I'm unsure of how to get there. I'll be 18 in less than a month though, so whatever. It's obviously only a secondary offense because they don't know your age if they see you on the phone.

I'm sorry to burst your bubble - but realistically, you aren't anyone important.  You have no real need to drive and talk at the same time.  If you need to use navigator, pull over and park, it's not a difficult concept or just use mapquest before you leave.

When I was pre-18 I needed my phone while driving.  There were times I my boss needed to call me while I was driving, I pretty REALLY should answer when my boss calls.

No, you never "really" needed to answer the call.  If he / she can't give you 30 seconds to pull over, then you've got some issues to workout.

If everyone pulled over instead of talkin while driving traffic would seriously be interrupted!  That is horrible to suggest

Since everyone driving is under 18....?

Not to mention that you typically pull over OFF the road, not ON it? How would that interrupt traffic?

[AntiVirus]

This is an inconvenience for me, being a Virginia driver under 18. I have VZNavigator on my cellphone and frequently am plugging in addresses or searching for a business while driving if I'm unsure of how to get there. I'll be 18 in less than a month though, so whatever. It's obviously only a secondary offense because they don't know your age if they see you on the phone.

I'm sorry to burst your bubble - but realistically, you aren't anyone important.  You have no real need to drive and talk at the same time.  If you need to use navigator, pull over and park, it's not a difficult concept or just use mapquest before you leave.

When I was pre-18 I needed my phone while driving.  There were times I my boss needed to call me while I was driving, I pretty REALLY should answer when my boss calls.

No, you never "really" needed to answer the call.  If he / she can't give you 30 seconds to pull over, then you've got some issues to workout.

If everyone pulled over instead of talkin while driving traffic would seriously be interrupted!  That is horrible to suggest

Since everyone driving is under 18....?

Not to mention that you typically pull over OFF the road, not ON it? How would that interrupt traffic?

It's because when driving on a cellphone you have to pull over on the road, unlike when you drive with a car.  Does that clear it up?

[CrAz3D]

This is an inconvenience for me, being a Virginia driver under 18. I have VZNavigator on my cellphone and frequently am plugging in addresses or searching for a business while driving if I'm unsure of how to get there. I'll be 18 in less than a month though, so whatever. It's obviously only a secondary offense because they don't know your age if they see you on the phone.

I'm sorry to burst your bubble - but realistically, you aren't anyone important.  You have no real need to drive and talk at the same time.  If you need to use navigator, pull over and park, it's not a difficult concept or just use mapquest before you leave.

When I was pre-18 I needed my phone while driving.  There were times I my boss needed to call me while I was driving, I pretty REALLY should answer when my boss calls.

No, you never "really" needed to answer the call.  If he / she can't give you 30 seconds to pull over, then you've got some issues to workout.

If everyone pulled over instead of talkin while driving traffic would seriously be interrupted!  That is horrible to suggest

Since everyone driving is under 18....?

Not to mention that you typically pull over OFF the road, not ON it? How would that interrupt traffic?

I was thinking everyone on cell phones...not just 18-.

[dark_drake]

If they could find a way to enforce this, it's great. I simply refuse to ride with most 15-17 year-olds because of how careless they are.

[Joe]

I talk on the phone while driving. I also usually do about ten miles an hour over the speed limit. When I'm on the phone and need to switch a turn signal, headlights, or windshield wipers, I'm more than happy to use my knee to hold the wheel while my free hand does the necessary job.

I've been driving since 5-22-07. People who have been driving for years should be able to do that without causing accidents if I can do it.

EDIT -
I should note that I follow laws as guidelines, not rules. I'm more than happy to break them if I have a good reason, such as I want to talk to someone while driving or want to get somewhere faster. I obviously won't weave through traffic at 100MPH on the interstate -- that'd just be stupid, but I have no problem doing 10 over.

As far as GDL (rider restrictions and curfew), I tend to stick closer to the speed limit while breaking it. I'll rarely take more than 1 person with me, but not because of the law -- because I rarely need to take more than one person with me. I have no problem driving after midnight, since I usually stick to the speed limit after dark and our laws are so vague that I could weasel my way out of it with a simple "I'm just heading home."

EDIT -
I don't, and will not, text while driving. Anyone who does that should be pulled over and shot repeatedly by the Stupidity Police.

[CrAz3D]

texting is pretty similar to calling someone

[Newby]

I don't, and will not, text while driving. Anyone who does that should be pulled over and shot repeatedly by the Stupidity Police.

I do that. Without looking at the screen. 'cuz I'm a baller.

It's just as big of a distraction as calling someone.

By the way, you've only been driving for less than a month. Don't give yourself so much credit for not getting into an accident. ^^

[wires]

I talk on the phone while driving. I also usually do about ten miles an hour over the speed limit. When I'm on the phone and need to switch a turn signal, headlights, or windshield wipers, I'm more than happy to use my knee to hold the wheel while my free hand does the necessary job.

I've been driving since 5-22-07. People who have been driving for years should be able to do that without causing accidents if I can do it.

Just because you haven't been in an accident yet, doesn't mean you won't be.

[Furious]

I'm almost positive it will be enforced state wide sometime in the near'ish future.  Local military bases have already restricted cell phone usage to hands free and if you get caught talking on a phone they WILL pull you over and give you a ticket.  I'm sick of these kids and adults alike locally who talk on the phone while driving, 90% of them don't use blinkers, are driving without their headlights on during the night // evening time or just generally being ignorant drivers.

[Killer360]

This morning I saw this indian guy talking on his cell phone when he was driving, and he drove onto the centre boulevard of a busy street and hit a street sign. He never even hung up his phone! 


I don't think kids are the problem here... I've never once seen a teenager driving and talking on their cell phone.

[CrAz3D]

Women, old folks, and asians...I guess Indians too now?