Courtesy Photo | Penalties for texting and driving on a federal installation are $155 for an initial...... read more read more
JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, Va. - Instances of distracted driving in the National Capital Region are on the rise, according to U.S. Army Installation Management Deputy Commanding General for Operations Maj. Gen. LaWarren Patterson.
During a safety managers training course held last month at IMCOM headquarters in San Antonio, Patterson stressed the need to combat a recent spike in distracted driving both on and off base, according to Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Safety Program Manager Lenny Davis, who attended for JBM-HH.
“We are getting the word out that this is becoming a big issue,” said Davis. “Especially in teenagers and young adults who text while driving.”
In 2014, 46 percent of drivers admitted to texting while driving, a 12 percent increase from 2013, according to statistics from the National Transportation Safety Board.
“As far as garrison safety is concerned, we are responsible only for informing the public about the dangers of distracted driving,” said Davis. “Enforcement of any violation falls under the [Directorate] of Emergency Services.”
Monetary penalties for texting while driving on the joint base, or any federal property, can be steep.
“Penalties for texting and driving on a federal installation are a $130 fine plus a $25 processing fee, totaling $155,” said JBM-HH DES Traffic Accident Investigator Patrick O’Mara.
Only one texting while driving citation has been written on JBM-HH, according to O’Mara. However, this was due to the lack of verbiage in the law— not necessarily a lack of offenders.
“Our old list of fines did not include texting,” he said.
As of July 1, in the state of Virginia (off-post) the first offense for texting costs $500, according to O’Mara.
“Fines on federal property are different than state or county property. Our fine amounts are agreed upon by about 15 federal district court judges, but they are not required to adhere to those amounts if a violator decides to fight the ticket,” he said.
One person cited about a month ago on the joint base for texting while driving fought the citation, said O’Mara. However, instead of getting out of the citation the offender was ordered to pay $500, said O’Mara.
“The judge upped the fine to $500 to mirror the new Virginia law,” he said.
Subsequent offenses of texting while driving on federal property can lead to fines equal to that dictated under Virginia law ($500 per offense), he said. Under current law, law enforcement officers can stop motorists for texting and driving as a primary offense, meaning a “violator can be pulled over solely for the texting,” said O’Mara.
But while laws have changed to better enable law enforcement officers to combat texting and driving, federal leadership concern over the matter is not a new topic. President Barack Obama signed Executive Order 13513, Federal Leadership on Reducing Text Messaging while Driving, Oct. 1, 2009. That order specifically forbids texting while driving on military installations or driving anywhere in government vehicles.
“Law enforcement, not just the joint base, is cracking down on texting and driving,” said O’Mara. “It is proven that it can be deadly and the consequences of doing it do not outweigh the benefits.”
Still, some device usage is allowed while operating a motor vehicle under current laws, according to O’Mara. Hands-free cellphone use – meaning use of Bluetooth enabled technology and not using a cellphone’s speaker system – is allowed. So is use of a Global Positioning System device, but any input of data into a GPS must be done when the vehicle is not in motion, noted O’Mara.
| Date Taken: | 08.27.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 08.27.2015 16:15 |
| Story ID: | 174465 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 62 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, JBM-HH toughening up on texting and driving, by Damien Salas, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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