New laws in Virginia to take effect on Wednesday, July 1
The Loudoun Scoop points out one of many stories about the new laws going into effect here in Virginia effective Wednesday, July 1. The one that’s drawn the most attention is our new ban on texting while driving.
Seriously.
Drivers used to getting some work done or making plans while in their cars will have to find another way to communicate beginning next week. A law championed by Loudoun representative Del. JoeT. May (R-33) now will prohibit drivers from composing or sending electronic messages while in a moving vehicle.
The bill, which passed the House by an overwhelming majority, makes it illegal for drivers to “manually enter multiple letters or text in the device as a means of communicating with another person” or “read any e-mail or text message transmitted to the device or stored within the device.” Citing concerns for safety and calling texting and e-mailing the most dangerous things a driver could do, May championed the legislation for three years before it was signed into law by Gov. Tim Kaine March 30.
I certainly don’t agree with Delegate May that reading a text message qualifies in the class of “the most dangerous things a driver could do” considering the behaviors I’ve seen on the road but it’s clearly one of those obviously avoidable issues. Frankly it’s one of those things I never thought we needed to make a law banning since it’s just common sense that if you’re poking at your Blackberry you’re not watching the road you’re eating up at 65+ mph. But, we all know that unless there’s a law banning it there’ll be people who do it to dangerous excess. I don’t really have a problem with the law especially since there’s a clause in there stating that it only applies to moving vehicles. When you’re stopped at that red-light-that-takes-forever on your commute, you’re allowed to read that text message thread that’s been pinging you. Just stay aware of your surroundings so you’re not the guy holding up the turn lane with the green arrow on the traffic light finally comes up for you.
My biggest surprise in reading this was the fact that it wasn’t already in effect. I thought it was effective back when it was passed. Oh well.
Other laws include more serious penalties for teen drivers, including for issues that don’t have a damned thing to do with driving. Example: a minor with a driver’s license can have that license suspended for having 10 or more unexcused absences from school, and that license can be suspended until he or she is 18. I understand what they’re trying to do, here, but the notion that a person can have their license suspended for offenses that didn’t even involve riding in a car, let alone driving it, sets a bad precedent in my mind.
One of the new laws, in fact, restricts the types of violations that a school can cite in support of a suspension or expulsion of a student. The law explicitly denies the school the ability to suspend a student over issues of truancy or tardiness. So, let’s get this straight: the school is not permitted to suspend a student from school for multiple unexcused absences, but they can suspend his driver’s license.
Other laws deal with issues of bullying and harrassment, particularly in cyberspace. The assessing of fees to students for damage or loss of school property (read: textbooks) is also being permitted for the 1st time.
Drunk driving penalties are also becoming more serious and the requirements to compel the installation of an ignition interlock have been lowered.
