Mean Streets: Let’s talk about txt

US DOT’s Distracted Driving Summit concluded today. Here are some interesting items in the news as Ray LaHood seeks to spotlight the dangers of phone use while driving:

• Bob Barr thinks the summit is a silly idea; he wants enforcement of existing laws against distracted drivers. His commenters point out that one of the problems with distracted driving is that it’s a difficult behavior to stop by mere enforcement, even in states where there are laws against texting behind the wheel. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
• Maryland’s texting-while driving ban goes into effect today. It’s a primary offense and carries a $500 ticket. (Delmarva Now)
• Volvo buys full-page ads during US DOT distracted driving summit (AutoBlog)
• The New York Times continues its Driven to Distraction series with pieces about those who use cars as mobile offices and truckers who are pressured to distraction by tight deadlines and text devices that connect them to dispatchers. The American Trucking Association responds.

Other news:

• Rising drug use, lower traffic fatality rate trends converge: drug deaths now outnumber traffic deaths in 16 states, according to CDC (AP)
• Governing Magazine takes on a thorny question: What is the age of responsibility in America, and what does that mean when it comes to driving? The article contains a particularly interesting section about graduated licenses. (Governing)
• AAA: Hit-and-runs on the rise in our region; most victims are pedestrians in Maryland (Post)
• Crash kills motorcyclist on Riva Road in Annapolis (Baltimore Sun)
• Speed leads to deadly crash in Bowie (Post)
• Man struck by car, injured at intersection of Friendship Boulevard and Willard Avenue in Montgomery County (Post)
• Metrobus driver who struck a pedestrian at Connecticut & Florida is fired; Fox 5 claims driver was running the light and pedestrian had “walk” signal (Post)