Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz’s office recently boasted of the state assembly’s passage of two pieces of road safety legislation: one banning the use of portable electronic devices (PEDs) while driving, and the other cracking down on drunk driving.
According to a press release from the assemblyman, “Under the (first) new law, drivers are prohibited from composing, sending, reading, viewing, accessing, browsing, transmitting, saving or retrieving email, text messages, or other electronic data while driving. The measure also bans viewing, taking, or transmitting images and playing games. Motorists found in violation of the ban could face a maximum fine of $150. Fines are allowed to be imposed only as a secondary offense, when the driver is pulled over for a violation of another law.”
The law also requires data to be produced indicating the effects of using PEDs while driving.
The other piece of legislation, which Dinowitz calls the “toughest” in the country, creates a first-time felony for driving while intoxicated (DWI) with a child passenger. A person charged with this first-time felony will be very limited in their ability to plea bargain, according to a press release.
“The deadly decision to drive drunk is not one to be taken lightly,” Dinowitz said. “It’s a serious crime that destroys lives. This law will go a long way toward keeping our children and our roadways safe from reckless drunk drivers.”
The bill also requires the installment of ignition interlock de
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