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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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CONTACT: Matt
Vahey |
State Rep. Josh Shapiro |
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Shapiro leads fight to disconnect distracted drivers
HARRISBURG, Sept. 25 -- Rep. Josh Shapiro, D-Montgomery, is sponsoring legislation aimed at keeping Pennsylvania’s roads safer. Shapiro’s bill (H.B. 1827), which is co-sponsored by 44 members of the House, would ban the use of hand-held cell phones while driving. Drivers would still be allowed to use hands-free devices.
The use of hand-held phones while driving is a dangerous driver distraction contributing to 1,241 crashes in 2006 on Pennsylvania roadways according to PennDOT. In contrast, there were just 60 crashes in 2006 on the state’s roadways attributed to hands-free cell phones. A National Highway Transportation Safety Administration study found that cell phones are the No. 1 distraction for drivers, and distracted drivers are three times as likely to be involved in a crash.
“We will save lives on our roadways by simply disconnecting Pennsylvania drivers from their hand-held cell phones,” Shapiro said.
Under Shapiro’s proposal, the use of hand-held cell phones while driving would be prohibited on all public roads in Pennsylvania. Exceptions are provided for law enforcement officers and operators of emergency vehicles when on duty, and there is leeway provided for drivers to use a hand-held cell phone when they fear for their safety, are reporting a traffic accident, or are making a 911 emergency call. A violation would be a summary offense. Upon conviction, a person would be required to pay a $50 fine.
Other states have already banned the use of cell phones while driving, including Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Washington and the District of Columbia. California will ban the use of hand-held cell phones while driving beginning July 1, 2008.
In 2005 Shapiro introduced a similar measure co-sponsored by 31 members of the House, and the proposal was included in legislation that passed the House and Senate in different forms. When the bill came back to the House for a subsequent vote, previous House leadership stripped Shapiro’s language from the bill and denied House members a vote on the issue.
Shapiro is deputy speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and represents the 153rd Legislative District in Montgomery County. For more information about Shapiro, please visit www.pahouse.com/Shapiro.
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