Published: September 15, 2007 07:21 pm      

Raising roadway awareness:

TAZEWELL, Va. — Although the number of citations issued since a new teen cell phone law took effect have been minimal, the problem of distracted teens driving while talking on cell phones remains a concern for area law enforcement officials.

The Virginia State Police are currently working to try to reduce the number of teen fatalities by raising public awareness about teen driving laws and seat belt laws, Sgt. Michael Conroy, of the Virginia State Police Wytheville Division IV offices, said.

Conroy said troopers are available for local safety talks and can help to provide resources to the public on teen driving safety.

In Tazewell County, police are still seeing both teens and adults driving and talking on cell phones at the same time, First Sgt. David Fowler, of the Claypool Hill detachment, said.

Fowler said no teens have been cited to date in Tazewell County under the new cell phone law. He is hopeful that media reports, and public education about the new teen cell phone law has helped. The law, which became effective July 1, states drivers younger than 18 are not permitted to use a cell phone or wireless telecommunication device while driving.

“The only thing an adult has over a teenager is more driving experience,” Fowler said. “They (adults) kind of understand that if you run off the road, you should slow down and ease back onto the road. But when people are on a cell phone, and if you start to run off the road, the teenager will jerk the wheel where the adult knows he has to slow down and gradually bring it in. You have youngsters nowadays talk about multi-tasking. But really in life you can only complete one task at a time.”

Fowler said three cell phone-related driving fatalities have been reported in Tazewell County within the last year. All three involved adult drivers.

Conroy said some of the laws troopers are hoping to emphasize is the safety belt law, including the requirement that no person under age 16 shall be transported in the rear cargo area of a pickup truck.

With a learner’s permit, Conroy said if a teen wants to drive they must have a licensed driver with them who is at least 21 years old and seated next to them. In terms of passenger limits, Conroy said if a teen is under 18, they may carry only one non-family passenger under age 18 during the first year they hold a learner’s permit.

Fowler said most drivers in Virginia are aware of the law as it relates to juveniles in the rear cargo area of a pickup truck.

“We don’t see a lot of that,” Fowler said. “Most of ours are adults who end up in the back of the pick-up. The people of Virginia are aware of it. It is the ones (drivers) who are not from Virginia that aren’t.”

Conroy said the recent increase in Labor Day fatalities along Virginia roads is a trend the state police is hoping to reverse. Of the 15 fatal crashes reported during Labor Day, Conroy said 12 were caused by the driver running off the road.

“The majority of the time this type of crash is caused by driver inattention,” Conroy said. “Sometimes we forget with all of the distractions to maintain complete focus on the road. The consequences of not doing so can be deadly. If you run off the road onto the shoulder unless a fixed object is in your path, you should slow down and ease back into the road.”

— Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com