HomeMy WebLinkAboutCellPhones-PowerPoint- 2009WIRELESS COMMUNICATION
DEVICES
THIS PRESENTATION SUPPORTS THE FOLLOWING VISION POINT AND KEY RESULT AREAS:
INVITING RESIDENTIAL AND CORPORATE NEIGHBORHOODS
•ON-GOING COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING
HOSPITALITY FINDS ITS HOME IN WESTLAKE
•CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATION
WIRELESS COMMUNICATION
DEVICES UTILIZATION
THE USE OF WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICES, ESPECIALLY CELL
PHONES, WHILE DRIVING HAS COME TO THE FOREFRONT DUE TO:
•COMPLAINTS TO PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIALS FROM
INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING ACCIDENTS OR NEAR ACCIDENTS
BY INDIVIDUALS DRIVING AND USING SUCH DEVICES
•PRESSURE FROM INSURANCE COMPANIES TO LIMIT THEIR USE
DUE TO THE NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS PURPORTEDLY
OCCURRING WHILE DRIVERS USE THESE DEVICES
•PARENTS / PARENT GROUPS CONCERNED WITH YOUNG AND
INEXPERIENCED DRIVERS USING THESE DEVICES WHILE
DRIVING
LEGISLATIVE OPTIONS
CURRENTLY TWO VIABLE LEGISLATIVE OPTIONS EXIST:
•LOCAL ORDINANCES – APPROXIMATELY 11 NORTH TEXAS COMMUNITIES HAVE ORDINANCES
ADDRESSING OR LIMITING THE USE OF WIRELESS
COMMUNICATION DEVICES WHILE OPERATING A
VEHICLE
•STATE LAWS – CURRENTLY THERE IS NO SPECIFIC STATE LAW LIMITING THE USE OF WIRELESS
COMMUNICATION DEVICES WHILE OPERATING A
VEHICLE. HOWEVER, THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 14
BILLS SUBMITTED FOR CONSIDERATION
LOCAL ORDINANCES
TYPICALLY LOCAL ORDINANCES ADDRESS THE
UTILIZATION OF DEVICES IN SCHOOL ZONES DURING
SCHOOL HOURS LIMITING:
•TALKING OR TEXTING WHILE USING IT AS A HAND
HELD WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICES IS VERY
COMMON
•THE USE OF ALL WIRELESS COMMUNICATION
DEVICES AS A HAND HELD INSTRUMENT IS COMMON
BUT EXCEPTIONS EXIST
•THE USE TO CONDUCT TWO – WAY
COMMUNICATIONS IS COMMONLY THE GOAL OF THE
ORDINANCES
LOCAL ORDINANCES
(CONTINUED)
LOCAL ORDINANCES ARE ENFORCED BY FINES – TYPICALLY A CLASS “C”
MISDEMEANOR IN MUNICIPAL COURT
LOCAL ORDINANCES HAVE EXCEPTIONS, SUCH AS:
•USE TO CONTACT AN EMERGENCY RESPONDER, I.E., FIRE, POLICE, EMS
• USE TO CONTACT A LOCAL HOSPITAL, PHYSICIAN, OR CLINIC
• MAY BE USED TO WHILE PARKED
• MAY BE USED TO LOCATE AN INDIVIDUAL
•MAY BE USED TO ANSWER AN INCOMING CALL BUT SHOULD INFORM
THE CALLER THAT THEY ARE IN A SCHOOL ZONE AND WILL HAVE
RETURN THEIR CALL
PROPOSED STATE LAWS
PROPOSED STATE LAWS REGULATING THE USE OF WIRELESS
COMMUNICATION DEVICES TARGET:
•AN ALL OUT BAN OF SUCH DEVICES UNLESS OPERATOR IS
STOPPED
•A BAN ON TEXTING ONLY
•PROHIBIT THEIR USE IN SCHOOL ZONES OR SCHOOL
CROSSINGS
• PROHIBIT THEIR USE BY DRIVERS UNDER THE AGE OF 18
•DOUBLE THE FINES FOR CERTAIN TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS IN
CASES WHERE THE PERSON COMMITS THE OFFENSE WHILE
USING A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICE
STAFF RECOMMENDS
•DELAY ACTION ON A LOCAL ORDINANCE
UNTIL THE STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS
COMPLETED
•SIGNS HAVE BEEN POSTED ON THE CAMPUS
OF WESTLAKE ACADEMY AND A POLICY OF
NO WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICES
BEING USED ON CAMPUS DURING STUDENT
DROP OFF AND PICK UP WILL CONTINUE TO BE
ENFORCED BY VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE