Wisconsin's ban on texting behind the wheel goes into effect on Wednesday, Dec. 1. Are you on board?
According to the Automobile Association of America, which sponsored a national campaign in support of texting bans across the country, there are 30 states in addition to Wisconsin that will enact the legislation to ban composing and sending text messages while driving.
Emergency personnel and the use of GPS are exempt from the law, which bans the use of laptops, texting and other wireless devices. Texting will be a primary offense, which means Johnny Law can pull you over and ticket you for texting.
Fines will range from $20 to $400, according to a statement from AAA.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration blamed 6,000 deaths and half a million injuries annually to distracted driving, which includes all sorts of things, but certainly texting.
So, what's your take, Milwaukee? Are you for the ban or against it?
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
