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December 24, 2010

Allies to continue push for texting ban

Mark Schlachtenhaufen The Edmond Sun

EDMOND — A state lawmaker said he plans to file a bill seeking to extend a ban on teenagers texting while driving to include all Oklahoma motorists.

In its code of ordinances, Edmond already has a regulation — 10.28.0-13 Full Time and Attention to Driving — under Title 10 (traffic). It may be viewed via edmondok.com by clicking on “government,” “city clerk” and “research city laws.”

The ordinance covers loose pets in the car, eating, anything that takes a driver’s focus off the road, said Edmond Police spokeswoman Glynda Chu. Violations carry a $249 fine.

“If someone has an accident and we can prove they were texting they will be ticketed under this ordinance,” Chu said.

Meanwhile, a new state law seeks to keep teenage drivers from texting while driving.

On Nov. 1, Senate Bill 1908, authored by state Sen. Anthony Sykes, R-Moore, Rep. Sue Tibbs, R-Tulsa, and Rep. Danny Morgan, D-Prague, became law, making it illegal for Oklahoma teens to use a mobile phone to talk or text while driving. Gov. Brad Henry signed the bill on May 6.

The new law prohibits any driver operating under a learner’s permit or an intermediate driver’s license (class D) from using a handheld device to talk or text when the car is in motion.

Also, learner’s permit holders are only able to drive between the hours of 5 a.m. and 10 p.m.

Violations result in suspension of driver’s license, ticket fees and payment of court costs.

When the bill cleared the Legislature, Morgan said he was disappointed provisions banning all drivers from texting while driving did not stay in, but the law was a good start. Now he intends to file legislation, co-authored by Tibbs, seeking to extend the ban to include all drivers excluding first responders.

Morgan said he is appreciative of AAA Oklahoma’s support for anti-texting laws, and for its efforts to keep the issue in the news. He also cited support from insurance companies and a no texting pledge supported by Oklahoma City Public Schools, AT&T and Gov. Brad Henry, who also issued a texting related executive order.

“That’s the way we’re gonna make a difference in Oklahoma,” Morgan said of the multi-faceted effort. “The issue will not go away.”

Edmond resident Chuck Mai, spokesman for AAA Oklahoma, said this year a single texting related bill will be filed.

Mai said during last year’s session he was optimistic about the chances for a broader ban on texting while driving. At one point, he used the words “slam dunk” to describe his belief.

This year, given the turnover in the Legislature, there is a greater chance of passing a bill covering all civilian drivers, Mai said. The 2011 session begins on Feb. 7.



TEXTING BY THE NUMBERS

Public safety advocates like Mai say that when drivers are texting both their minds and their eyes are somewhere else. While no one really knows how many crashes can be attributed to texting while driving, a growing number of motorists are doing so.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that one in seven drivers admitted to texting while driving, and nearly half of respondents age 18-24 admitted to doing so. Fewer than 5 percent of drivers age 45 and older admitted to texting while driving.

Regarding attitudes, the AAA Foundation found that while 95 percent of drivers consider texting while driving to be completely or somewhat unacceptable behavior, 18 percent of those same drivers admitted to having read or sent a text message while driving during the previous month.

In January, AAA President and CEO Bob Darbelnet called on Oklahoma business leaders to mobilize against texting while driving.

In 2009, AAA launched a campaign to enact bans on texting for all drivers in all 50 states by 2013. Darbelnet said AAA supports laws banning the use of any cell phone or wireless device for teen drivers and laws which make it an offense for a driver to engage in any kind of distracting activity that results in a traffic violation.

In 2008, more than 1 billion text messages were sent in the United States. Motorists who text while driving are six times more likely to crash than those who don’t, according to a recent study by University of Utah psychologists.



marks@edmondsun.com | 341-2121, ext. 108

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