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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Bill Kortz |
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House passes ban on texting, cell phone use while driving
HARRISBURG, Jan. 26 – State Rep. Bill Kortz, D-Allegheny, said the state House today passed a measure that would ban text-messaging and the use of handheld cell phones while driving in Pennsylvania.
"This bill could make a great difference in making Pennsylvania's roads and highways safer for all drivers," Kortz said. "I'm a proud supporter of this bill."
House Bill 2070, sponsored by state Rep. Joseph Markosek, D-Allegheny/Westmoreland, would make it a primary offense for drivers to use handheld mobile phones, smart phones, personal digital assistants or portable computers while their vehicle is in motion. The use of hands-free devices would still be permissible.
Making a handheld mobile phone call or texting while driving would be punishable by a $50 fine. That fine would be doubled to $100 if the offense was committed in a school zone, active construction zone, highway safety corridor or emergency response area. An exception would be granted for calling 9-1-1 and for emergency responders performing official duties.
Studies from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Virginia Tech, Carnegie Mellon and the University of Utah have all shown that drivers who talk on their cell phones are three to four times more likely to be involved in a crash. According to Pennsylvania Department of Transportation statistics, since 2003, there have been only 397 accidents in Pennsylvania where hands-free phones were a contributing factor, while 6,877 accidents listed hand-held phones as a contributing factor.
The National Safety Council, a research and advocacy group, estimates that 200,000 crashes of all types on U.S. roads are caused by drivers who are texting.
The bill now goes to the state Senate for consideration.
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