Civic News

‘Jake’s Law’ creates stiffer penalties for distracted driving

"The new law allows a judge to impose a sentence of a year in jail and a $5,000 fine if a driver causes an accident with serious or fatal injuries while texting or talking on the phone."

"Governor Martin O'Malley Speaking at 2012 Chesapeake Executive Council Press Conference" by Chesapeake Bay Program. Photo via Flickr under Creative Commons for Attribution.

Of the many bills signed into law by Governor Martin O’Malley on Monday, among them was a measure to impose harsher penalties on drivers who cause accidents while texting or talking on the phone.
Named after Jake Owens, a boy who was killed in 2011 when a driver talking on his cellphone drove into his family car, “Jake’s Law” penalizes distracted driving that results in a “serious or fatal car crash.” According to the Baltimore Sun:

The new law allows a judge to impose a sentence of a year in jail and a $5,000 fine if a driver causes an accident with serious or fatal injuries while texting or talking on the phone.

Read more at the Baltimore Sun.

Companies: State of Maryland

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