September 15, 2011
Puerto Rico to ban cellphone use while driving
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Legislators in Puerto Rico have amended a law to ban drivers from using their cellphones without hands-free equipment.
Those caught texting or talking on their phones will face a US$100 fine starting January 2013.
Ambulance drivers are exempt from the law, but commercial and school bus drivers are not.
A study has found that seven of 10 drivers in Puerto Rico occasionally talk on a cellphone while driving.
Senators on Wednesday also approved a separate law that punishes street races with a US$4,000 fine and up to six months in prison for repeat offenders.
