National Assembly applies brakes... Ban on cell phone use while driving

National Assembly applies brakes… Ban on cell phone use while driving

Jul 26, 2008 News

…drivers face jail time

Using a cellular phone while driving can now land drivers in jail as the National Assembly last evening passed legislation that effectively puts an end to the increasing trend.
Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee, presented the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic (Amendment) Act 2008 to the National Assembly.
The amendment makes the use of cellular phone while driving illegal.
In his address, Minister Rohee said that over 350,000 cellular phones are presently in circulation here.
“Persons use these to communicate by voice, text messages or emails but whether any of the three is being performed, it brings a distraction to the person who is driving the vehicle.”
The Minister added that it is obvious that if a person is distracted from focusing on the road something detrimental may occur.
“Last year the Ministry of Education was moved to put in a rule prohibiting the use of cell phones by students in the classrooms and obviously this was because of the distraction of students…not being able to focus on their class work during school hours.”
Minister Rohee was given the full support of the National Assembly. (Full details in tomorrow’s edition)