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Ald. Wants Cell-Phone-Driving Fine Upped To $100

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Jan 14, 2009 2:12 pm US/Central

Ald. Wants Cell-Phone-Driving Fine Upped To $100

CHICAGO (STNG) ― Three months ago, Mayor Daley moved to soften Chicago's cell-phone-while-driving ban -- by allowing offending motorists to hang onto their licenses and contest their tickets by mail or administrative hearing. 

Now, a North Side alderman wants to get tougher.

At Tuesday's City Council meeting, Ald. Vi Daley (43rd) introduced an ordinance that would raise the fine for talking and driving without a hands-free device from $75 to $100.

Motorists whose cell phone conversations cause accidents would pay through the nose. The fine would go from $200 to $500.

"My constituents are upset. They still see people driving around while talking on their cell phones. Obviously, police aren't ticketing enough people. And even if they are, the penalty isn't high enough for people abusing the law," Daley said.

Downtown Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd) said he sees motorists yakking away on cell phones every day.

"I might also add that I regularly see city employees operating city vehicles while talking on their cell phones. That practice needs to end immediately. The city needs to lead by example," Reilly said, arguing that higher fines are "worth examining."

(Source: Sun-Times News Group Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2009. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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