Reckless driving

Montgomery County, Tennessee, deputies rescued a driver and passenger from a burning vehicle Friday after a brief police chase ended in a crash. Drug task force agents spotted the vehicle driving recklessly at high speed; when deputies tried to stop it, the driver fled into a residential area and struck a utility pole on Daniel Street within about a minute, setting the car ablaze. Deputies pulled both occupants out and began lifesaving measures before fire crews extinguished the flames. The driver was critically injured and airlifted to a Nashville hospital; the passenger was treated locally. Tennessee Highway Patrol and the sheriff's office are investigating, with charges against the driver anticipated.

A batch of new Arizona traffic laws took effect Sept. 12, the standard start date for legislation passed during this year's session. The changes address distracted driving, motorcycle lane splitting, vehicle booting, and driver's license photo requirements.

House Bill 2109 raises fines for repeat distracted-driving offenders, increasing penalties for a second phone-use violation to a flat $400, up from the previous $150-$250 range, and adds a $150 fee if a distracted-driving crash involves a motorcyclist. House Bill 2941 makes certain lane-splitting maneuvers a Class 2 misdemeanor classified as reckless driving, though motorcyclists may still pass safely between lanes under specific speed and road conditions. Repeat offenders risk license suspension or jail time. Senate Bill 1205 establishes statewide standards for vehicle booting companies, capping fees, restricting practices, and barring booting of emergency vehicles or occupied cars. Separately, drivers now must update their license photos every 16 years instead of 12.