Illegal to watch tv while driving?

Oxford03GT
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So, I work at a car-stereo shop. My installers keep preaching to me that it is illegal to watch tv while driving, and that it is a federal law that prohibits you from having any video in front of the drivers view.

So, that seems like it makes since. So I have been doing some research. I have found a few state laws that prohibit such things (sort of) like, Virginia makes it illegal to do anything but Navigation. But. Federal Law?

I just wondered if anyone had any input on this, not just 'its illegal, I heard it' but. actually, location of where it is written, if it is in fact written.

Thanks for the help.

Matthew

 
Virginia's law was enacted in 1950 and amended in 1958, 1989, 1994, and 2005:

? 46.2-1077

A. No motor vehicle registered in the Commonwealth of Virginia shall be equipped with, nor shall there be used therein, a television receiver forward of the driver's seat or the screen of which would otherwise be visible to the driver while driving the vehicle. The operator of a motor vehicle which is not required to be registered in Virginia shall not operate a television receiver which violates the provisions of this section while driving in the Commonwealth.

The prohibitions contained in this subsection shall not, however, include:

1. Electronic displays used in conjunction with vehicle navigation systems;

2. Closed circuit video monitors designed to operate only in conjunction with dedicated video cameras and used in rear-view systems on trucks, motor homes, and other motor vehicles; and

3. Television receivers or monitors used in government-owned vehicles by law-enforcement officers and employees of the Virginia Department of Transportation in the course of their official duties.

B. Except for displays explicitly authorized in subsection A, no driver of any motor vehicle shall view any motion picture or similar video display while driving.

 
I hope it is! I mean seriously? Watching tv while driving? Is it just me or are humans getting dumber by the minute?
Be it a bad idea, I can think of many more dangerous things people do than having a video playing (TEXTING!). I would imagine most people would opt to have this feature for passengers, especially in small cab vehicles like trucks.

 
In Cleveland its called full time and attention. Its the © section of the code. Its vague because it can be used for people watching video, talking on cellphone, doing makeup etc.

431.34 Failure to Control; Weaving; Full Time and Attention

(a) No person shall operate a motor vehicle or motorcycle upon any street or highway without exercising reasonable and ordinary control over such vehicle.

(b) No person shall operate a motor vehicle or motorcycle upon any street or highway in a weaving or zigzag course unless such irregular course is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law.

© No person shall operate a motor vehicle or motorcycle without giving his full time and attention to the operation of such vehicle.

(Ord. No. 1684-76. Passed 6-29-76, eff. 7-6-76)

 
Don't know about video, but in my state, if a cop hears your **** blasting 50 ft or more, you get a warning/ticket.
Noise Violations are a whole different beast. And very easy to find the laws for your area. But. I am unable to find anything about the video in motion laws.

 
Mythbusters proved that it not just the fact you only on 1 hand on the wheel cause your talking on the phone.. its the fact your more focused on the conversation than the actual driving.

 
Mythbusters proved that it not just the fact you only on 1 hand on the wheel cause your talking on the phone.. its the fact your more focused on the conversation than the actual driving.
...thanks for the input. (?)

 
Mythbusters proved that it not just the fact you only on 1 hand on the wheel cause your talking on the phone.. its the fact your more focused on the conversation than the actual driving.
this, that is why the whole bluetooth law is crap. Many drivers float into their own world while talking on the phone. Bluetooth or not they will more than likely have the same output on most drivers(especially young teens)

as to illegal yes it is illegal, most if not all newer cars that come with navi/dvd will NOT let you watch dvd's while driving and some like cadillac won't let you even change the destination or use the navi while driving.

 
as to illegal yes it is illegal, most if not all newer cars that come with navi/dvd will NOT let you watch dvd's while driving and some like cadillac won't let you even change the destination or use the navi while driving.
thats why you pull that stock navi out //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif

 
thats why you pull that stock navi out //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif
they're actually pretty neat but not worth the money imo lol. I think my buddys in his escalade was part of a package and it was $2600+ taxes

 
this, that is why the whole bluetooth law is crap. Many drivers float into their own world while talking on the phone. Bluetooth or not they will more than likely have the same output on most drivers(especially young teens)
as to illegal yes it is illegal, most if not all newer cars that come with navi/dvd will NOT let you watch dvd's while driving and some like cadillac won't let you even change the destination or use the navi while driving.
I disagree. Its not all teens in general. Im a 18 year old who has been driving since i was 15 (I put like 10k miles on my car with a permit) and i have never wrecked my car. Now on the other hand, my girlfriend who is 17 and has had a BRAND NEW altima coupe, has wrecked 4 times. She has had this car for a year at most.

The point of this argument is that im pissed off that people always say teens are wreckless drivers. Its FEMALE teenage drivers that give us a bad name. Ive been a safe driver for 4 years and STILL cant get a ****ing break on my insurance because of this humbug stereotype.

Last year in school, they showed us a video aimed to depress everyone and make them more aware that texting and driving is bad and people die from it. They start showing all these photos of people with sad songs and then their parents crying telling you how if they hadnt been texting they wouldnt have died. I swear to god, every single person who was driving and died was a female. There was one guy but he was a guy riding his ****ing bike and got hit by a girl who was texting and driving.

Back to the topic of this board, its pretty much illegal everywhere to watch a movie while driving, probably a good thing lol.

 
Give me one good reason why a driver would have any earthly need to watch TV while driving //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/confused.gif.e820e0216602db4765798ac39d28caa9.gif Some of you guys need to get the fark off the road. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 
I disagree. Its not all teens in general. Im a 18 year old who has been driving since i was 15 (I put like 10k miles on my car with a permit) and i have never wrecked my car. Now on the other hand, my girlfriend who is 17 and has had a BRAND NEW altima coupe, has wrecked 4 times. She has had this car for a year at most.
The point of this argument is that im pissed off that people always say teens are wreckless drivers. Its FEMALE teenage drivers that give us a bad name. Ive been a safe driver for 4 years and STILL cant get a ****ing break on my insurance because of this humbug stereotype.

Last year in school, they showed us a video aimed to depress everyone and make them more aware that texting and driving is bad and people die from it. They start showing all these photos of people with sad songs and then their parents crying telling you how if they hadnt been texting they wouldnt have died. I swear to god, every single person who was driving and died was a female. There was one guy but he was a guy riding his ****ing bike and got hit by a girl who was texting and driving.

Back to the topic of this board, its pretty much illegal everywhere to watch a movie while driving, probably a good thing lol.
I agree with you, I'm 19 in less than a month, but today's 16 yr olds can't drive for ****. Especially girls lol. I pick up my brother from high school everyday, and everyday I dodge cars that do 30mph out the school parking lot without stopping lol, and cars that randomly do u turns while parked on the side of the street.

 
i agree completely some teenaged girl hit me a while back cause she was "texting and following her friend" **** pissed me off but all that was damaged was the headlights so its all good

 
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