Community Corner
Father Asks Lawmakers to Ban Cellphones When Driving
The father of Jordan Cibley, who attended Stoughton and Foxboro High Schools, is calling for lawmakers to put a stop to the use of handheld cellphones while driving, according to the Boston Herald.
On January 10, Jerry Cibley, the father of former Stoughton High School student Jordan Cibley, will testify at the State House before the Joint Committee on Transportation, asking lawmakers to ban the use of cellphones when driving, the Boston Herald reports.
Jordan was killed on Mother’s Day in 2007 when he lost control of his car while talking on his cellphone. He was 18 and a senior at Foxboro High School.
Jerry Cibley's aim will be to encourage Massachusetts to join Washington, D.C. and nine other states that have already banned the use of handheld cellphones while driving. Cibley’s testimony is sure to be stirring – he was the one his late son was speaking to when his car crashed into a tree more than four years ago.
As reported by the Boston Herald, the Commonwealth has already enacted a Safe Driving Act, which bans the use of cellphones in any form by motorists under the age of 18, and prohibits texting for everyone behind a wheel.
Since it took effect in September 2010, authorities have issued more than 1,200 tickets – a rate that is sure to increase should Cibley’s plea lead that the all out ban currently in place for minors be extended to all drivers.
