A new bill that would ban the act of texting while driving in Maine is working its way through the State Legislature.
Senator Bill Diamond is sponsoring LD 736, legislation that specifically aims to prohibit texting while driving. The bill would ban sending electronic communications, including text messages, instant messages and e-mails, using a portable electronic device while operating a motor vehicle.
Using global positioning or navigation systems would not be included on the list of prohibited activities.
Violators would be fined a minimum of $100. Whether or not violators could be subject to an increase in their Maine auto insurance rates would depend on the specific wording of the final bill and the specific policies of each violator’s insurance company.
The measure was already passed in the Senate this month and awaits consideration in the House. As it is today, Maine would become the 31st state to ban the act for all drivers.
Maine is one of nine states – along with Alabama, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and West Virginia – that currently has a partial ban on texting while driving. In these nine states, novice drivers are prohibited from texting while driving but a ban for all drivers, however, is not currently in place.
At this time, eleven states have no ban at all in place regarding texting while driving, while 30 states now prohibit all drivers from the act (see them all).
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