Arizona Ranked Low for Traffic Safety Laws
According to a national report that ranks states’ safety laws, Arizona looks to be “dangerously behind” in its adoption of key traffic and vehicle safety laws.
15 Laws to Better Safety
The grading, done by Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, was based on the rate at which states have adopted 15 laws the group believes to be vital to creating better road safety. Arizona lacks nine of the 15 key safety laws ranked in the report. “It’s been really challenging in Arizona,” said Catherine Chase, vice president of government affairs at Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety. “I’m not sure if it’s the mentality of the state or the lack of political leadership.”
Graduated Driver-license Laws and Text Messaging
Six laws out of the nine laws that the state missed out on are graduated driver-license laws. These laws phase in a teen driver’s ability to fully use his or her driving privileges. “It’s really kind of shocking,” Chase said of Arizona’s failure to approve graduated licenses. “Traditionally those tend to be a little easier to get passed … they’re affecting teenage drivers.” It has also failed to pass an all-driver text messaging restriction.
State Senator Agrees
State Sen. Steve Farley, agreed that Arizona must focus on passing the statewide ban on texting while driving. And while he was the first state lawmaker in the nation to call for a ban on texting in 2007, Arizona still has not been successful.
“It’s a major issue,” said Farley, adding “we need to make it safer for Arizona.”
“When we’re texting while we’re driving, we’re putting everyone else’s lives at risk,” says Rep. Victoria Steele of Tucson. “We don’t need to see more people die as a result of distracted driving.”
If you’ve been injured by a distracted driver, you need the expert advice of personal injury attorneys such as those at Personal Injury Attorneys PLLC.
Source: Cronkite News, Arizona again ranked among lowest states for its traffic safety laws, January 22, 2014
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