GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2017

H                                                                                                                                                    1

HOUSE BILL 197

 

 

Short Title:      Study/Distracted Driving & Road Rage.

(Public)

Sponsors:

Representative Pierce.

For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.

Referred to:

Transportation

February 28, 2017

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT to require the division of motor vehicles to study the issues of distracted driving and road rage.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  Distracted Driving Study. – The Division of Motor Vehicles, in consultation with the Department of Public Safety, shall study the issue of distracted driving. As part of the study, the Division of Motor Vehicles shall consider all of the following:

(1)        Causes of distracted driving.

(2)        The average number of injuries and fatalities attributable to distracted driving over the past two calendar years.

(3)        Whether increased penalties should be imposed for acts of distracted driving.

(4)        Measures that can be taken to prevent incidents of distracted driving.

(5)        Any other topic or issue the Division of Motor Vehicles determines to be relevant to the study.

SECTION 2.  Road Rage Study. – The Division of Motor Vehicles, in consultation with the Department of Public Safety, shall study the issue of road rage. As part of the study, the Division of Motor Vehicles shall consider all of the following:

(1)        How to define "road rage."

(2)        Types of behavior that constitute road rage.

(3)        Causes of road rage.

(4)        The average number of injuries and fatalities attributable to incidents of road rage over the past two calendar years.

(5)        Types of crimes that may be initiated as acts of road rage.

(6)        Whether increased penalties should be imposed for crimes committed as acts of road rage.

(7)        Measures that can be taken to prevent incidents of road rage.

(8)        Any other topic or issue the Division of Motor Vehicles determines to be relevant to the study.

SECTION 3.  Report. – By February 1, 2018, the Division of Motor Vehicles shall report its findings from the studies required under Sections 1 and 2 of this act, including any legislative recommendations, to the chairs of the Joint Legislative Transportation Oversight Committee and the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Justice and Public Safety.

SECTION 4.  Effective Date. – This act is effective when it becomes law.