Implementation Of Battle Creek’s Distracted Driving Rules Delayed

Battle Creek’s new distracted driving rules, which are stricter than the state law, aren’t yet being rolled out.

Deputy Chief of the Battle Creek Police Jim Grafton told WWMT that citations can’t be issued to drivers who are talking on the phone or using it for other things like browsing the web or watching Netflix, because signs haven’t been posted. The city says that in order to enforce the ordinance they need to put up those signs at entrances and exits to the city, informing drivers of the distracted driving rules.

Because some of the routes are MDOT roads, Battle Creek also needs to wait on their approval before the signs can be installed.

In February of this year, the Battle Creek City Commission passed an ordinance which prohibited talking on the phone or using their phone for “sending, receiving, and reading” any data; this goes above and beyond Michigan’s distracted driving rules, which simply prohibit texting and driving. Use of a hands-free device is still allowed.

A time-frame hasn’t yet been established to put the signs up.