First, the Park Cities decided to regulate (as in eliminate) cell phone use while driving in school zones. Now, it might be Dallas’ turn to do the same thing. Five Dallas council members have petitioned Mayor Tom Leppert to schedule a briefing to consider the idea, according to a weekend DMN story. Council members who signed the memo to Leppert include Mitchell Rasansky, Linda Koop, LH’s Jerry Allen, Dave Neumann and Ron Natinsky. Councilman Pauline Medrano also expressed support for the idea in the News story, so already nearly half the council appears to be leaning toward the adoption of something along these lines.
In the Park Cities, the law effectively bans hand-held cell phone calling and driving in school zones between 7:30-9 a.m. and 2:30-4 p.m. The News reports that through Dec. 21, 101 citations were issued in Highland Park through Dec. 21 and University Park issued 78 last week (the first week the city enforced the ordinance). Interestingly enough, the News story says that one-third of the citations issued in University Park were issued to UP residents, meaning that two-thirds of the violators were just passing through. It’s my understanding that the ordinance eliminates hand-held calls, but people can still legally make calls through Bluetooth-powered earpieces and radios.
Another interesting couple of points: No mention is made in the article about contacting RISD for their resposne to the idea. And DISD board president Jack Lowe apparently first heard about the Dallas council’s idea when contacted by a DMN reporter, which makes me kind of wonder what happened to the supposed close relations between DISD and the city that Mayor Leppert has been touting. Just wondering, that’s all…
