You should already know how dangerous distracted driving is and the lives it can cost. But, are you familiar with your own state’s laws on distracted driving?

Distracted driving is a top cause of accidents that lead to injuries and death. States all over the country are implementing laws to target distracted driving habits. Fleet managers as well as implementing GPS fleet tracking systems to identify behaviors, like speeding and hard braking, that could indicate distracted driving.

Here are some examples of different states and their laws concerning distracted driving, which may change and be revised over time.

Examples of State Laws

Alabama

In Alabama, it’s prohibited that you text while you’re driving. Drivers aged 16 and 17 who have intermediate licenses they’ve carried less than six months can’t use a handheld communication device while they’re driving. In Montgomery, it’s prohibited to use a handheld cell phone.

California

While you’re driving a motor vehicle, it’s illegal to use a cell phone unless it’s being used in hands-free mode. Individuals who are under 18 years old can’t drive and use a wireless communication device, including, but not limited to:

• A two-way messaging device
• A broadband personal communication device
• A laptop computer
• A pager

Drivers can’t use a wireless communication device to read, send or write text messages while they’re driving. Drivers of school buses can’t use cell phones.

Connecticut

Nobody is allowed to use a hand-held phone or text message while driving. Those under 18 years of age are subject to a complete mobile electronic device and cell phone use ban while driving.

Connecticut also enforces a distracted driving general law that prohibits drivers from engaging in activities that aren’t related to operating the motor vehicle that interferes with the safe operation of the vehicle. Drivers of school buses can’t use cell phones while driving unless it’s for an emergency.

Florida

All drivers are prohibited from texting while driving — a secondary offense.

It’s permitted to use a cell phone with a headset while you’re driving if you can still hear sound from one ear and you can hear surrounding sounds with the other ear.

Minnesota

Drivers can’t text message. Provisional license holders and permit holders who are under 18 years old are not allowed to use a cell phone while they’re driving. School bus drivers are not allowed to use cell phones while they’re driving.

Keep in mind, even if your state doesn’t have a law that directly relates to distracted driving, the act alone of driving while distracted leads to illegal driving behavior like reckless driving as well as other traffic violations. To find out the laws in your particular state, you can visit the Governors Highway Safety Association.

Sources:

http://www.ncsl.org/research/transportation/cellular-phone-use-and-texting-while-driving-laws.aspx
https://www.ghsa.org/state-laws/issues/Distracted-Driving

Click to access DistractedDrivingLawChart_Jun18.pdf

https://drivinglaws.aaa.com/tag/distracted-driving/
https://www.dmv.org/distracted-driving/laws.php
https://www.idrivesafely.com/driving-resources/laws/distracted-driving/
http://www.ncsl.org/research/transportation/spotlight-distracted-driving.aspx

Benoît Lecomte, a 51-year-old Frenchman, decided to embark on an epic journey across the Pacific Ocean. Rather than go by boat, this dedicated man decided to swim the entire length of the ocean from the coast of Tokyo, to San Francisco.

The entire journey should take him around six months as long as everything goes according to plan. Lecomte has extensively prepared for this journey. He expects to swim for around eight hours and cover about 30 miles each day.

Once he meets this goal, he plans on boarding an accompanying boat to rest and refuel. The entire swim will be so physically demanding that Lecomte calculated he will need to eat around 8,000 calories each day.

Lecomte will know exactly where to begin the next day’s swim by utilizing a GPS tracking device to record his every stroke. The next morning, he will enter into the water at the exact location the GPS tracking system left off on.

Lecomte is no stranger to difficult and long swims. In 1998, he swam across the Atlantic Ocean for 73 days straight. This journey was meant to raise awareness and money for cancer research, and he successfully completed his mission in memory of his late father. Incredibly, Lecomte reported that a shark followed him for at least five days during this adventure. While there is no definitive proof, Lecomte also alleges that he was the first individual to swim an incredible 5,000 miles without a kickboard.

His newest adventure is an attempt to get the public talking about plastic pollution in the ocean. During his 5,500-mile trek, he is expected to swim directly past the infamous Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Anyone can track this adventurous spirit’s journey on Seeker. Additional details about the expedition can be found there as well. You can read Ben’s logbook here and follow his swim here.

Plastic pollution in the ocean, Lecomte argues, can be sharply reduced by each individual’s actions and choices. Practicing mindfulness is one of the first steps in making a big difference, and such actions take a lot less effort than Lecomte’s enormous swim across the ocean.

For deeper insights into the man behind this epic journey, take a peek at this video into his mindset.

Most people have heard the term geofencing in references to pets. What you may not know, though, is that this technology can be used by businesses as well. In fact, there are many reasons you may want to consider using geofencing in your business, whether as part of your GPS fleet tracking efforts, inventory management, equipment monitoring or countless other purposes.

What is a Geofence?

A geofence is a geographic boundary you establish indicating you don’t want specific assets to go outside that boundary. The assets must be equipped with GPS tracking devices for a geofence to work.

They do not, necessarily, need to be vehicles, though vehicles are certainly one of the assets you may wish to monitor. Other assets might include things like:

• Heavy machinery
• Expensive tools or equipment
• Electronics
• Key technology
• Valuable items that are targets for thieves
• Powered or non-powered assets

When these assets are taken outside the geofence boundaries, you will receive instant alerts through text message or email, notifying you that the item is outside the prescribed boundary. This way, you can monitor its location and find out what’s going on.

How Can You Use Geofencing for Your Business?

Aside from the method described above, there are numerous ways businesses can use Geofencing to make improvements, including those listed below.

1. Improve payroll with accurate logs of driver arrivals at the ends of their shifts.
2. Reduce insurance costs by reducing the risks of threat and improving the odds of recovery when they do occur.
3. Create promotions whenever customers enter your business or approach your business boundaries using GPS.
4. Manage and monitor employee territories and prevent unintentional (or otherwise) encroachment.
5. Notify you if employees enter restricted areas (either with badges or with vehicles).
6. Keep your drivers on course and on route. Prevents them from conducting personal business on company time and keeps them from wasting fuel with unscheduled side trips.

The possibilities with geofencing are nearly limitless. Depending on the type of business you conduct, you may find an infinite number of possibilities for using geofencing to improve profits, reduce waste, and protect your inventory, equipment, assets, and personnel.

Using geofencing in combination with your GPS fleet tracking system can help your company find new ways to save money, increase productivity, and improve customer service. All these things are instrumental in driving your business into the future and keeping you one, or more, steps ahead of your competitors. See what a difference it can make for your business.

From machinery theft and unauthorized usage to vehicles going out of pre-defined boundaries, here at LiveViewGPS, we have a GPS tracking solution that will keep you protected. Call us today at 1-888-544-0494 to learn more.