This is the sixth in a series of posts concerning changes in Tennessee statutory law that I believe to be of interest to tort lawyers. For more changes click on the Legislation 2009 category of this blog.
Public Chapter 201 prohibits, subject to certain exceptions, the reading or sending of text messages while operating a motor vehicle and while the vehicle is in motion.
Here are the key provisions of the new law:
(b) No person while driving a motor vehicle on any public road or highway shall use a hand-held mobile telephone or a hand-held personal digital assistant to transmit or read a written message; provided, that a driver does not transmit or read a written message for the purpose of this subsection (b) if such driver reads, selects or enters a telephone number or name in a hand-held mobile telephone or a personal digital assistant for the purpose of making or receiving a telephone call.
(c) The provisions of this section shall only apply to a person driving a motor vehicle that is in motion at the time a written message from a mobile telephone or hand-held personal digital assistant is transmitted or read by such person.
Click on the link to read the entire text of Public Acts, 2009 Public Chapter 201.
Here is a link to a recent post on the greatly increased risk of driving while texting.