Raising Awareness to Reduce Distracted Driving

Hello, I’m state Representative Jessie Rodriguez

Most people are always looking at their cell phones and with summer right around the corner orange cones will begin lining the streets and freeways as road crews prepare for construction season. Now is the time to focus on safe driving.

According to the Department of Transportation, in 2015, distracted driving accounted for more than 24,000 car accidents in Wisconsin. That means every 22 minutes there is an accident caused by distracted driving and it is even more dangerous in a construction zone.

In Wisconsin, it is illegal to use a cell phone while driving through a construction zone unless you are operating a hands-free device. And speeding in construction zones is not only dangerous, potentially causing harm to you or others, but if caught, the penalty automatically doubles.

You can commit to driving safely by turning off your phone or downloading an app that prevents notifications while driving.

So, remember to slow down and put the phone away while driving. You’ll be happy you did and it could even safe your life.

NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS:

Next week will be the last e-update from my office until after the fall election. In accordance with state campaign laws, all legislative offices that are up for re-election are prohibited from sending mass communications from the office after April 15 of that year.

Although I will no longer publish an e-update until after the fall election, my staff and I will still be responsive to any and all concerns related to state government. If you have questions, concerns or issues that require attention from my office, we are ready and willing to continue assisting you. I look forward to your continued communication with my office.

This week, two bills I authored were signed into law; Senate Bill 390 and Assembly Bill 551. SB 390 allows for the expansion of the Family Drug Treatment Court (FDTC), a drug rehabilitation program that has brought remarkable success with a focus on building sober households.

The FDTC is an alternative drug rehabilitation model that helps those suffering from addiction, whose children were removed from their home, develop a pathway to sobriety while creating a safe environment for their children.

AB 551 eases the process and clarifies state law for separated parents when one decides to relocate to another location outside of their current living arrangement.

The updated policy eliminates confusion in state law regarding custody and placement when a parent intends to move 100 miles or more away from the other parent. The law creates a clear process for parents who want to find a fair and workable placement or custody arrangement that reduces the likelihood of litigation.