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Traffic Week: Oregon Cell Phone (and Texting) Law

It?s only right to start off the New Year with the new Oregon "cell-phone" law, which you have probably heard about (unless you've been on the phone too much - remember Groucho Marx and his cigar - so get off that phone once in a while and pay attention to the world!).

Starting January 1, 2010, you may be ticketed for texting or not using a hands-free cell phone device. (You may be ticketed for other things too, but we?re focusing for the moment on the new cell phone law.):

There are lots of places to go for information about the new law, but I like to start at the beginning, people who wrote the law and the people who will enforce it:

1) NEW CELL PHONE LAW IN OREGON! (Source: Oregon State Police website)

2) Text of the Oregon law, effective January 2010: HB 2377 (html or PDF), Chapter 834, (2009 Oregon Laws): Effective date January 1, 2010: Relating to use of mobile communication device while driving; amending ORS 811.507

3) We know a lot about this new law, but there is also so much we don?t know, which will play itself out in traffic (and trial and appellate) courts, and possibly the Legislature, over the next few years.

4) Some non-government websites (with ads) on Oregon traffic laws: Hands Free Oregon and Oregon Driving Laws and the Unofficial DMV Guide.

5) See also: ODOT Homepage, ODOT Traffic Enforcement website, DMV Newsroom, and DMV 2009 Legislative Summary.

6) Don?t leave the state without checking on Other States Cell Phone Laws, from the Governors State Highway Association, which has lots of other information.

7) See my August 2009 Oregon Traffic Legislation Round-up (to date) for other traffic related laws.

Drive Safely!

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Full post as published by Oregon Legal Research on January 01, 2010 (boomark / email).