Maine's new distracted driving law

On September 12, 2009, the State of Maine enacted a new law making it illegal to operate a motor vehicle while distracted. Below you can review the law as we copied from the Maine Legislature's website.

*** An Act To Establish a Distracted Driver Law

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

Sec. 1. 29-A MRSA §2117 is enacted to read: § 2117. Failure to maintain control of a motor vehicle

1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.

A. "Operation of a motor vehicle while distracted" means the operation of a motor vehicle by a person who, while operating the vehicle, is engaged in an activity:

(1) That is not necessary to the operation of the vehicle; and

(2) That actually impairs, or would reasonably be expected to impair, the ability of the person to safely operate the vehicle.

2. Failure to maintain control of a motor vehicle. A person commits the traffic infraction of failure to maintain control of a motor vehicle if the person:

A. Commits either a traffic infraction under this Title or commits the crime of driving to endanger under section 2413 and, at the time the traffic infraction or crime occurred, the person was engaged in the operation of a motor vehicle while distracted; or

B. Is determined to have been the operator of a motor vehicle that was involved in a reportable accident as defined in section 2251, subsection 1 that resulted in property damage and, at the time the reportable accident occurred, the person was engaged in the operation of a motor vehicle while distracted.

A person may be issued a citation or summons for any other traffic infraction or crime that was committed by the person in relation to the person’s commission of the traffic infraction of failure to maintain control of a motor vehicle.

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You can review the actual State documentation on the Maine Legislature website (Distracted Driver).