Thursday October 6, 12 - 1 pm: New texting-while-driving laws in Maryland

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Midday_100611_DistractedDriving.mp3

Russell and Kim Hurd lost their 26-year-old daughter, Heather, in a January 2008 crash in Florida attributed to a truck driver who was sending or receiving a text message. After the tragedy, the Harford County couple made it their cause to ban texting while driving in Maryland, testifying in Annapolis for a new law. On October 1, a full ban on texting while driving went into effect here. The new law applies to drivers at all times -- whether the car is in motion or stopped at a red light -- and it moves the violation up from a secondary offense to a primary offense. Police can now cite you for TWD. Russell and Kim Hurd join Dan this hour to talk about the dangers of distracted driving and what lawmakers and advocates are doing to get people to focus on the road. Also joining us: Del. James E. Malone Jr., a Democrat who represents Baltimore and Howard counties in the General Assembly and who headed a legislative work group on various bills dealing with driving distractions, Del. Micheal Smigiel, a Reublican who represents Kent, Queen Anne’s, Cecil, and Caroline Counties who opposed the new bill on texting and driving, and Rene Russo, a Spokesperson with the Maryland State Police Big question: How will the police enforce this new law?