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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Joseph Markosek |
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House Transportation Committee to hold hearing on dangers of teen driving
Set to hear testimony on why teens are driven to distraction
PITTSBURGH, Feb. 29 – House Transportation Committee Chairman Joseph Markosek, D-Allegheny/Westmoreland, will conduct an informational hearing in Pittsburgh next Wednesday on the dangers of teen-agers driving while distracted.
The public hearing will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 5 at the Regional Enterprise Tower, 31st Floor, 425 Sixth Ave., Pittsburgh.
State Reps. Josh Shapiro, D-Montgomery, and Eugene DePasquale, D-York, are expected to testify on their respective bills regarding teen driving. Shapiro introduced a bill (H.B. 1827) that would ban the use of hand-held cell phones while driving. DePasquale’s bill (H.B. 1506) would ban text messaging while driving.
The committee will also consider two bills introduced by state Reps. Chelsa Wagner, D-Allegheny, and Katherine Watson, R-Berks, which would implement passenger restrictions for teen drivers. Both Wagner’s bill (H.B. 1141) and Watson’s bill (H.B. 163) would limit the number of passengers that could be in a vehicle driven by the holder of a junior driver’s license.
Representatives from the American Automobile Association and Virginia Tech University, as well as Matt Sundeen of the National Conference of State Legislatures, are also scheduled to make presentations.
The committee has previously held hearings on teen driving in Philadelphia and
Harrisburg.
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EDITORS NOTE: Media coverage of the informational hearing is invited.