Title 23

SECTION 1300.24

1300.24 Distracted driving grants.

§ 1300.24 Distracted driving grants.

(a) Purpose. This section establishes criteria, in accordance with 23 U.S.C. 405(e), for awarding grants to States that enact and enforce a statute prohibiting distracted driving.

(b) Definitions. As used in this section -

Driving means operating a motor vehicle on a public road, and does not include operating a motor vehicle when the vehicle has pulled over to the side of, or off, an active roadway and has stopped in a location where it can safely remain stationary.

Texting means reading from or manually entering data into a personal wireless communications device, including doing so for the purpose of SMS texting, e-mailing, instant messaging, or engaging in any other form of electronic data retrieval or electronic data communication.

(c) Qualification criteria for a Comprehensive Distracted Driving Grant. To qualify for a Comprehensive Distracted Driving Grant in a fiscal year, a State shall submit as part of its HSP, in accordance with Part 6 of Appendix B -

(1) Sample distracted driving questions from the State's driver's license examination; and

(2) Legal citations to the State statute demonstrating compliance with the following requirements:

(i) Prohibition on texting while driving. The State statute shall -

(A) Prohibit all drivers from texting through a personal wireless communications device while driving;

(B) Make a violation of the statute a primary offense;

(D) Not include an exemption that specifically allows a driver to text through a personal wireless communication device while stopped in traffic.

(ii) Prohibition on youth cell phone use while driving. The State statute shall -

(A) Prohibit a driver who is younger than 18 years of age or in the learner's permit or intermediate license stage set forth in § 1300.26(d) and (e) from using a personal wireless communications device while driving;

(B) Make a violation of the statute a primary offense;

(D) Not include an exemption that specifically allows a driver to text through a personal wireless communication device while stopped in traffic.

(iii) Permitted exceptions. A State statute providing for the following exceptions, and no others, shall not be deemed out of compliance with the requirements of this section:

(A) A driver who uses a personal wireless communications device to contact emergency services;

(B) Emergency services personnel who use a personal wireless communications device while operating an emergency services vehicle and engaged in the performance of their duties as emergency services personnel; or

(C) An individual employed as a commercial motor vehicle driver or a school bus driver who uses a personal wireless communications device within the scope of such individual's employment if such use is permitted under the regulations promulgated pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 31136.

(d) Use of funds for Comprehensive Distracted Driving Grants - (1) Eligible uses. Except as provided in paragraphs (d)(2) and (3) of this section, a State may use grant funds awarded under 23 U.S.C. 405(e)(1) only to educate the public through advertising that contains information about the dangers of texting or using a cell phone while driving, for traffic signs that notify drivers about the distracted driving law of the State, or for law enforcement costs related to the enforcement of the distracted driving law.

(2) Special rule. Notwithstanding paragraph (d)(1) of this section, a State may elect to use up to 50 percent of the grant funds awarded under 23 U.S.C. 405(e)(1) for any eligible project or activity under Section 402.

(3) Special rule - MMUCC conforming States. Notwithstanding paragraphs (d)(1) and (2) of this section, a State may use up to 75 percent of amounts received under 23 U.S.C. 405(e)(1) for any eligible project or activity under Section 402 if the State has conformed its distracted driving data to the most recent Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria (MMUCC). To demonstrate conformance with MMUCC, the State shall submit within 30 days after notification of award, the NHTSA-developed MMUCC Mapping spreadsheet, as described in “Mapping to MMUCC: A process for comparing police crash reports and state crash databases to the Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria” (DOT HS 812 184), as updated.

(e)-(f) [Reserved]