Whitefish bans hand-held cellphone use by drivers starting today

Whitefish drivers, put down your cell phones.

Starting today, the city of Whitefish is banning the use of hand-held electronic communications devices while operating a motor vehicle within city limits. Violators face a $100 fine for a first offense, and up to $300 for repeat violations.

Signs will be placed at each entrance to the city, informing drivers of the local ordinance.

The ban includes wireless or cellular phones, personal digital assistants, Blackberries, smartphones, laptop and notebook computers utilizing voice-over Internet protocol technology, wireless and cellular phones utilizing push-to-talk technology, GPS systems, navigational systems and any other mobile communications device that uses short-wave analog or digital radio transmissions between the device and a transmitter.

Hands-free devices will be allowed, and passengers in a vehicle are permitted to use hand-held devices.

Law-enforcement and fire/ambulance personnel are exempt from the new law.

The Whitefish City Council passed the ordinance banning hand-held devices in vehicles on June 20 with a 90-day waiting period for it to take effect.

Whitefish joins Missoula, Billings and Butte as Montana cities that have passed some sort of cellphone ordinance. Billings prohibits the use of any electronic device while driving, while Missoula’s ordinance involves only text messages.