Arizona (5/22/2014) — Coconino County in northern Arizona has banned the use of all hand-held communication devices, restricting both talk and text while driving.
This includes the usage of CB radios for commercial drivers. In the event where over the road communication is necessary, the county wants drivers to use hands-free devices such as a Bluetooth enabled phone with a headset.
The reason for the change was a statewide study that showed that over 30% of incidents on the road were caused by distractions from hand-held devices, whether it be texting, calling, or browsing the web on on mobile phone.
Obviously, emergency workers and law enforcement are exempt from this ordinance. The law was put into effect on May 22, 2014. There is a 6 month grace period for drivers to adjust to the new rules. Starting in November, however, drivers will be on the hook for $100 for non-accident incidents using hand held devices, and $250 for instances where hand held usage was involved in an accident.
As important as safety is, it’s sad to see another trucking tradition, using the good old CB radio, get kicked to the curb in lieu of new laws and regulations. If you don’t already have a reliable hands free headset, check out our choices for the top 3 Bluetooth headsets here.