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Jail time in Alaska if you text and drive

By Douglas A. Berman

This local story from Alaska, headlined "Texting drivers now face jail time: Typing on road is as penalized as first DUI," highlights how states are getting serious in trying to deal with distracted driving.  Here are a few details: Drivers will have to take their thumbs off their phones and put them back on the steering wheel while cruising down Alaska roads starting today when a ban on text messaging while driving begins.  Drivers are still able to read messages on their phones, BlackBerry's and iPhones, but it is a crime to write messages. The new law also says Alaska drivers are prohibited from watching video while driving. Alaska joins four other states in barring the latest driver-distraction phenomenon.  Like Alaska's seat belt law, it is considered a primary offense, so an officer could pull a driver over if he thinks the driver is punching away on an electronic device...continue to full post

Full post as published by Sentencing Law and Policy on September 01, 2008 (boomark / email).