Anti-Texting While Driving Bill Makes Its Way Through Pennsylvania Senate

Posted on June 11, 2011 by Stuart A. Carpey

Photo from Flickr: Texting-While-Driving

On June 8 2011, legislation banning handheld cell phone use while driving passed the state Senate. The bill, S.B. 314, allows police to pull over young drivers for violating the law, and police can cite older drivers only if they are pulled over for another driving infraction. This "secondary offense" rule is not as strong as it should be, but the bill moves on to the Pennsylvania House, where hopefully that provision will be removed.

 It is now an established fact that  distracted driving is a major cause of accidents, especially among young people. Driving and texting just don't mix, but many drivers are simply too stubborn to realize it. It only takes a second to become distracted on the road even without using a cell phone. Studies have shown, for instance, that  for a driver who uses texting, his or her collision risk is 23 times greater than when not texting.

Pennsylvania has held out long enough in making use of a a cell phone while driving illegal. According to the website of the Governors Highway Safety Association, neighboring Pennsylvania states already have strict cell phone bans on the books.

  • New Jersey has a complete ban on using a handheld cell phone to talk and text while driving;
  • New York state has a ban on handheld cell phone use while driving, which is also a primary offense, and texting while driving it’s a secondary offense
  • Delaware has complete bans on talking and texting while driving, both being primary offenses.

This is the best chance of getting an anti texting bill signed by a Pennsylvania governor. Hopefully for all Pennsylvania drivers, the House will move an even stronger bill forward and will get it in the Governor's hand soon.

 

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Pennsylvania's Cell Phone Driving Ban

Posted on February 3, 2010 by Stuart A. Carpey

Anybody who reads my blog regularly knows how I feel about texting while driving. A while ago, I expressed my opinion based on personal experience in my blog post “The Importance Of Being Able to Text While Driving”.  There are now driving safety changes in the works, specifically concerning the usage of cell phones on the road.

Recently, the Pennsylvania House has passed a bill that aims to ban the use of cell phones and all hand held devices for drivers. If passed, the bill would impose a fine of $50 upon individuals who don’t use hands-free devices. The exception to this would be navigational systems (such as GPS) or calling 911 in the case of emergency. The goal is obviously to limit the talking and texting of drivers on the roads. Only 7 other states have such tough driving restrictions—California, New York, Washington, D.C., Connecticut, Oregon, Utah, and New Jersey.

Washington DC held a “Distracted Driving Summit” in September of 2009, where National Highway Traffic Safety Administrators reported 6,000 deaths and 500,000 injuries due to car crashes involving distracted drivers in the year 2008 alone. As you may expect, the majority of the distracted cell phone drivers are less then 20 years of age. The Pennsylvania bill’s lead sponsor and chairman of the Transportation Committee, Representative Joe Markosek said, regarding his reasons for sponsoring the bill, “We are all one text from eternity.”

An interesting take on this issue is from Michael Smerconish, a lawyer, Philadelphia radio show host on 1210 AM WPHT, and columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer. His point is that business, i.e. the tech business, should be stepping up instead of government to make hand held devices, in his words, “well functioning, comfortable {and} aesthetic”, and safer when used while driving. Michael Smerconish’s article in the January 31, 2010 Philadelphia Inquirer entitled “Head Strong: Bring Tech Up to Speed” discusses improving hands-free technology as drivers are still going to be using hand helds dangerously while driving, no matter what the consequences. The government cannot stop our own stupidity. So the tech businesses should focus on manufacturing systems in cars, truck, etc, that protect us against ourselves, but still allow for the use of hand held phone devices. Better that these companies tackle America's obsession with driving while using cell phones, iPods, and other devices then have government step in at the local, state, or national level.

Maybe. But as a Philadelphia Accident Attorney, I see the tragic results of distracted driving on a daily basis and I hope the Pennsylvania Senate decides to follow the lead of the House (who voted 189-6) and approve the bill. More information on the Senate’s decision will follow.

 

 

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