Rhinelander is one of a handful of Wisconsin communities that bans cell phone use while driving. That ordinance went into effect last June.
Police Chief Michael Steffes says the department did limited enforcement, focusing initially on getting the word out and educating drivers...
"....between signage, notifying the media and working with the media and giving verbal warnings as officers encounter people on the phone, particularly if they were demonstrating other aspects of inattentive driving..."
He says during the last six months they gave one ticket and nine warnings. Steffes says officers are first looking for driving behavior that might be erratic.
Steffes says cellphones might have been involved in other inattentive driving citations, but the officer chose to issue a ticket for another violation.
"...if an officer issues a citation or warning to someone and that person elects to introduce some form of bluetooth technology(hands-free) into the vehicle and that's validated through the department, that citation is actually dropped...."
Steffes says the primary goal is for drivers to simply not drive and talk on the phones. The Rhinelander ordinance gives an out for drivers who are picked up. If the driver later can prove they've converted their hand-held phone to a type of hands-free unit, the citation is dropped.
