Police call for text messaging ban in cars

By Jason Dowling
August 1, 2004

Text messaging from cars would be banned and the penalties for using hand-held phones increased under a push by Victoria Police to curb the alarming rise in road fatalities linked to mobile phones, one of the state’s top traffic police said.

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Why do we need yet another law, the current law prohibits “use of a hand-held phone"?

The current law is not observed by the public, why would a new law be?

The current law is not enforced by the police, why would a new law be?

Road Rules - Victoria.
Part 18 Miscellaneous road rules (Rules 287-304)

300. Use of hand-held mobile phones

(1) The driver of a vehicle (except an emergency vehicle or police
vehicle) must not use a hand-held mobile phone while the vehicle is
moving, or stationary but not parked, unless the driver is exempt from
this rule under subrule (3)

Penalty:	2 penalty units.

Note: Emergency vehicle, park and police vehicle are defined in the
dictionary.

(2) In this rule—

mobile phone does not include a CB radio or any other two-way radio.

(3) This rule does not apply to a driver if the Corporation has, by
notice in writing, exempted the driver from subrule (1).

So who needs a new law?

Bring on the trained magpies! Swoop down, peck out their eyes, take away their phones and poop on their windscreens.