UPDATE: This bill has not moved forward in this legislative session and will receive no further consideration by this session of the legislature. The Nevada legislature convenes every other year for 120 days. The next session is in 2021.
In our last blog post, we discussed the bill (SB43) that the Nevada state legislature is currently considering which would allow traffic enforcement cameras in Nevada. Another bill in its early stages which was introduced to the Nevada Assembly Judiciary Committee on February 18, 2019, would allow police to connect a device to your cell phone after an accident to determine if you were using your phone at the time of the accident.
Assembly Bill 200 (AB200) is a reaction to the growing number of accidents being caused by distracted driving, particularly cell phone use while driving. In fact, other than impaired driving, distracted driving is the next largest cause of accidents and traffic deaths and is growing. Also note that leaving the scene of an accident is a felony.
Distracted Driving is a growing cause of accidents and traffic deaths
We’ve discussed distracted driving several times on this blog, most recently last July. Since October 2011, using a handheld cell phone while driving has been prohibited in Nevada.
Recently, new devices have been developed which would allow police to connect to your cell phone and to scan for recent activity. The state legislature is now considering AB200, which would require drivers to hand over their cell phones to police in case of an accident to be scanned by this type of device.
Is this a case of government over reach?
This new bill has been causing discussions regarding personal privacy versus the need to protect public safety on the roadways. Many feel that AB200 crosses the line established by the 4th Amendment to the U. S. Constitution, which guarantees protection of U.S. citizens against unreasonable searches and seizures. Others believe that the demands of public safety outweigh those protections, and that whatever method can be used to discourage handheld cell phone use should be allowed.
Make your voice heard
We believe It’s healthy under our representative democracy to have these public debates and to determine for ourselves what is acceptable, and then communicate to our representatives our personal opinions while these bills are being debated in the legislature. We encourage you to find out who your state representatives and senators are, and communicate with them on this subject, whether you feel pro or con on this issue.
This bill is still in its early stages and has not been voted out of the Judiciary Committee yet. If passed by the legislature, the bill will require the governor to sign it into law before it would take effect.
Ticket Busters represents you if you get a traffic ticket in Las Vegas
We exist to assist you with your traffic tickets. If you receive a ticket in Las Vegas or Clark County Nevada, we have established relations with the traffic courts throughout Clark County. We will negotiate your ticket with the appropriate jurisdiction and in most cases can reduce your charges to a non-moving violation. This keeps your DMV record clean and protects your driving privileges as well as avoiding increases in insurance premiums. Call us today to fight your ticket at (702) 666-6666.
Learn More:
https://www.ktnv.com/news/nevada-bill-would-allow-police-to-search-peoples-phone
https://www.legiscan.com/NV/bill/AB200/2019
