The New York Post newspaper has reported that local police have issued driving offence fines worth over US$3 million for driving while using a cell phone since the state banned the practice. Over the first five months of this year, police issued more than 29,000 citations, a police spokesman told The New York Post in Sunday editions. The state banned driving while using a cellphone back in November 2001.
Tickets for motorists caught using a cell phone while driving without a handsfree kit are US$100.
The cash-strapped city nearly tripled the amount of cell-phone summonses issued over the same period last year. About 10,600 tickets were given to cell- phone violators between January and May 2002.
"We've been a lot more aggressive in issuing quality-of-life summonses that affect safety," Burnes said. "The mere act of talking on a cell phone takes attention away and creates a safety hazard."
Posted to the site on 7th July 2003
Posted to: www.cellular-news.com/story/9222.php