US State Rejects Ban on Texting While Driving

An attempt to impose a ban on sending text messages or use a Blackberry in the US state of Maryland has failed to be passed into law. This was the second attempt to try and pass a law on this issue, and had been amended to permit sending messages in an emergency.

The state does not currently have any bans on using a mobile phone while driving, so the proposed legislation had to specifically note that dialing a phone number would not be considered as typing a message on the handset.

The bill would have proposed a fine of up to $500 per infraction.

Opponents to the bill said that existing dangerous driving laws covered the issue adequately.

Posted to the site on 12th March 2008