OREGON - New laws for driver safety

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http://www.lebanon-express.com/news/local/new-laws-for-driver-safety/article_7372319c-2b57-11e1-adfa-0019bb2963f4.html
New laws for driver safety

New laws for driver safety Posted: Wednesday, December 21, 2011 7:00 am | No Comments Posted

Drivers accustomed to sneaking a phone call in here and there — hoping they might get away with it — will have few if any excuses left after Jan. 1, 2012. That’s when a law modifying Oregon’s ban on cellphone use goes into effect, along with a few other transportation-related laws aimed at increasing safety on our roads. Here’s an overview of several specific laws:

• HB 3186, Cellphone use and texting while driving modifications. For most drivers, it is already against the law to use a hand-held cellphone while driving in Oregon. The original law, however, allowed cellphone use “in the scope of the person’s employment if operation of the motor vehicle is necessary for the person’s job.” That exemption is removed with House Bill 3186 effective Jan. 1, 2012, so that the only drivers allowed to use a hand-held mobile communications device are those over 18 who are 1) operating a roadside assistance or tow vehicle or 2) operating a utility vehicle for the purpose of servicing a utility.

In addition, the bill outlaws texting for all drivers. In essence, as of Jan. 1, it will be illegal for nearly everyone to use a cellphone and/or text while driving, unless it is a hands-free device (no exemptions for drivers under age 18). See the enrolled bill at http://www.leg.state.or.us/11reg/measures/hb3100.dir/hb3186.en.html. The violation is a Class D offense, with a new base rate, effective Jan. 1, 2012, of $110.

• HB 3590, Child safety seat update. This simple update lets child passengers weighing more than 40 pounds ride in any approved child safety system designed for a child weighing more than 40 pounds. Previously, Oregon law required a child passenger weighing more than 40 pound be secured in a booster seat using a lap or shoulder belt until age eight or 4-foot-9-inches tall.
That’s still legal; however, if you have a 5-point child passenger safety seat system designed to accommodate children weighing over 40 pounds, it will be legal to use that as an alternative to a booster effective Jan. 1, 2012. Learn more, and see a schedule for free child safety seat clinics, at http://www.childsafetyseat.org/.

• ORS 807 (SB 546 from the 2009 Oregon Legislature), Motorcycle training. Effective Jan. 1, 2012, new motorcyclists age 40 and under must complete an ODOT-approved motorcycle safety course before they can be issued a motorcycle endorsement by DMV. This is part of a phased-in law passed by the 2009 Oregon Legislature. For information on Oregon’s approved motorcycle rider education courses, visit the TEAM Oregon Web site, http://www.team-oregon.org/.

• SB 130, Bicycle and flashing yellow arrow signals. SB 130 adds definitions for green, yellow and red bicycle signals and describes how bicycles are expected to respond to these signals: Bicyclists facing a green bicycle signal may proceed through the intersection, turn right or turn left, unless a sign prohibits either turn movement. Bicycles must yield the right of way to other vehicles in the intersection at the time the motor vehicle signal turns green.
Read the full news releases and find more information at: http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/COMM/news_main.shtml. 
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http://www.myeugene.org/2011/12/21/new-oregon-transportation-laws-go-into-effect-on-january-1-2012/New Oregon transportation laws go into effect on January 1, 2012

 by Jaculynn Peterson on December 21, 2011

Laws affect vehicle drivers, bicyclists, motorcyclists, and children; texting while driving will be a $110 fine

After January 1, 2012, a law further restricting Oregon’s existing ban on cell phone use goes into effect, along with other transportation-related laws aimed at increasing safety. Here’s an overview of several new-year laws from the Oregon Department of Transportation:
HB 3186, Cell phone use and texting while driving modifications For most drivers, it is already against the law to use a hand-held cell phone while driving in Oregon. The original law, however, allowed cell phone use “in the scope of the person’s employment if operation of the motor vehicle is necessary for the person’s job.”
That exemption is removed with House Bill 3186 effective Jan. 1, 2012, so that the only drivers allowed to use a hand-held mobile communications device are those over 18 who are 1) operating a roadside assistance or tow vehicle or 2) operating a utility vehicle for the purpose of servicing a utility.
In addition, the bill outlaws texting for all drivers. It will be illegal for nearly everyone to use a cell phone and/or text while driving, unless it is a hands-free device (no exemptions for drivers under age 18). See the details of the bill here. The violation is a Class D offense with a fine of $110 effective Jan. 1, 2012.
HB 3590, Child safety seat update This simple update lets child passengers weighing more than 40 pounds ride in any approved child safety system designed for a child weighing more than 40 pounds. Previously, Oregon law required a child passenger weighing more than 40 pound be secured in a booster seat using a lap or shoulder belt until age eight or 4’9” tall.
That’s still legal; however, if you have a 5-point child passenger safety seat system designed to accommodate children weighing over 40 pounds, it will be legal to use that as an alternative to a booster effective Jan. 1, 2012. Learn more here and see a schedule for free child-safety seat clinics.
ORS 807 (SB 546 from the 2009 Oregon Legislature), Motorcycle training New motorcyclists aged 40 and under must complete an ODOT-approved motorcycle safety course before they can be issued a motorcycle endorsement by DMV. This is part of a phased-in law passed by the 2009 Oregon Legislature. For information on Oregon’s approved motorcycle rider education courses, visit the TEAM Oregon Web site, www.team-oregon.org.
SB 130, Bicycle and flashing yellow arrow signals SB 130 adds definitions for green, yellow and red bicycle signals and describes how bicycles are expected to respond to these signals:
Bicyclists facing a green bicycle signal may proceed through the intersection, turn right or turn left, unless a sign prohibits either turn movement. Bicycles must yield the right of way to other vehicles in the intersection at the time the signal turns green. Bicycles facing a yellow bicycle signal are warned the signal will soon turn to red. Bicyclists must stop at a marked stop line, before a marked crosswalk or before entering the intersection. If a bicyclist cannot safely stop, the bicyclist may proceed cautiously through the intersection. Bicyclists facing a red bicycle signal must stop at a marked stop line, before a marked crosswalk, or before entering the intersection. The bicyclists must remain stopped until the signal turns green or to make a turn movement otherwise allowed by law. SB 130 also adds a definition for a flashing yellow arrow signal to Oregon law and describes how drivers are expected to respond to a flashing yellow arrow signal. Drivers facing a flashing yellow arrow signal may make a turn but must yield to other drivers in the intersection and to approaching traffic.