In the fight to temper the rate of accidents involving driver distraction, a growing number of states in recent years have enacted bans on the use of cell phones while behind the wheel. If Gov. Brian Sandoval signs into law a bill recently passed by both houses of the state legislature, Nevada may be the next to pass such a ban.
The bill, SB 140, would make it a crime to “send or read data” on a cell phone or other device while driving. It would do the same for talking on a cell phone if it is not on a hands-free device.
While the bill would make such actions a crime, the text of the legislation appears to have little implications for
Nevada car insurance rates.
Many auto insurance companies have come out in support of distracted-driving bans, noting that the use of cell phones behind the wheel makes it more likely that a driver will be involved in a crash. But unlike speeding or DUI citations, insurance providers in most cases do not increase rates due to cell phone tickets. This is because many bans do not make the use of a cell phone while driving an offense that will add points to a person’s driving record, which is what most insurers review to help them adjust rates.
The bill text says that the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles “shall not treat a first violation of this section in the manner statutorily required for a moving traffic violation.” How a second violation will be treated, though, is unclear. The text also says that third and subsequent offenses will result in a license suspension, which may have the potential to influence premiums.
In contrast, the cell phone ban that recently went into effect in Massachusetts includes separate offenses for using phones while driving and getting into an accident as a result of using a cell phone behind the wheel. Under that law, insurers can raise rates for “negligent operation and injury from mobile phone use” but cannot raise them simply for sending and reading messages while driving.
To learn more about this and other Nevada insurance issues, readers can go to
http://www.onlineautoinsurance.com/nevada/ where visitors will have access to informative resource pages as well as a quote-comparison generator that can help drivers in any state find the best deal on a policy.
