...[R]esearch by SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions)... indicated that a good majority of teens are well aware that texting and driving aren't compatible. The national survey of more than 900 teens with driver's licenses from 26 high schools rated instant or text messaging while driving as the biggest distraction (37 percent) while driving. In fact, it was 17 percent higher than "the driver's emotional state" (20 percent) and 18 percent higher than "having several friends in the car." The latter, by the way, is now prohibited among Oklahoma's youngest drivers thanks to Rep. Danny Morgan's graduated driver's license program.
Sadder still is the fact that all of these kids polled by SADD said they picked up their bad habits from their parents. Some 62 percent of the polled teens told researchers their parents talk on a cell phone while driving.
(NOTE: bolding was not in the original story)
Council Poised To Overturn Cell Phone Veto
Legislation banning students from carrying cell phones to school in NYC likely to be overturned (The New York Sun): The bill's sponsor, Council Member Lewis Fidler of Brooklyn, said the bill strengthens the position of opponents to the cell phone ban. It states that "no person shall interfere" with the right of a student to use a cell phone "en route to and from school."
Just an update with the bus angle.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: State Rep. Paul Wesselhöft
Capitol: (405) 557-7343
Moore: (405) 517-7148
Bill to Ban Cell Phone Use by Bus Drivers
OKLAHOMA CITY –State Rep. Paul Wesselhoft today said his “anti-cell phone use and driving” bill will include a provision to protect Oklahoma children by prohibiting school bus drivers from using a cell while driving.
“People need to stop using cell phones and keep both hands on the wheel when driving, especially those who are carrying such precious cargo, our children,” said Wesselhöft, R-Moore.
The Moore Republican plans to file legislation to create the Brittanie Montgomery Act—named after 19-year-old Honey Bee cheerleader Brittanie Montgomery who died in a car wreck while text messaging. The legislation will increase the punishment for cell-phone-using drivers who cause accidents and will prohibit all teenage drivers holding a learner’s permit from using cell phone or any wireless device when driving.
“I wish no one would talk or text on cell phones and drive—they need to pay attention to the road. However, Wesselhoft’s bill is the next best thing and I fully endorse it,” said Gina Harris, mother of Brittanie Montgomery. “It is an honor that the bill is named in memory of my daughter. I only hope it can prevent a tragedy like Brittanie’s from occurring.”
Today, Wesselhöft said the bill will also completely prohibit public school bus drivers from using a cell phone use while driving except in the case of a verified emergency.
Under Wesselhöft’s bill if an automobile accident can be attributed to cell-phone use, the penalty will be a mandatory $1,000 fine and 20 days in jail along with any other penalties for other crimes associated with the accident. Bus drivers caught using their phone while driving will face a mandatory $1,000 fine. Holders of learners permit using a cell phone will driving will face a mandatory $500 fine.
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Wesselhöft noted that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has recommended that public school bus drivers be forbidden to use cell phone except in the case of an emergency. NTSB research has shown that the cognitive effects of conducting a conversation on a wireless telephone while driving can decrease situational awareness and reaction time.
NTSB also concluded that current state law is inadequate to protect young novice drivers from distractions that can lead to accidents.
“We are paying these individuals to drive and to drive safe,” said Wesselhöft. “There is no need for them to make any phone calls until after the children have been delivered to school safely.”
A research study by the National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA) showed drivers looked at the road less while dialing manually (just 40 percent of the time) than when using hands-free dialing (50 percent).
“School bus drivers’ primary focus needs to be on the road, not on a social phone call or text,” said Wesselhöft.
— Oklahoma State Rep. Paul Wesselhoft is at it again, this time taking aim at Oklahoma’s thousands of “celluar drivers,” with a new law that would punish talkers with hefty fines and mandatory jail time.
Wesselhoft last week proposed a measure that would institute felony charges for first offense dog bites of a serious nature, drawing ire from dog owners across the state. This week’s bill is also likely to draw its share, all of it directed at the Moore Republican.
Wessellhoft’s newest bill would impose $1,000 fines and mandatory 20-day jail sentences for anyone who causes an accident because of cell phone use while driving.
Wesselhoft referenced a New York incident where five recent high school graduates were killed in an accident that occurred because the driver of the teens’ vehicle was distracted by her cell phone.
There’s no argument that cell phone use on Oklahoma roadways has become a tremendous problem. Oklahoma Highway Safety Office records show there were 802 cell phone-related accidents on state roads in 2006, up from 98 incidents just four years ago.
But is a $1,000 fine and mandatory jail time the answer? What about the hundreds of Oklahoma motorists every day whose attention is distracted from driving for any of a dozen other reasons?
Can lawmakers ban children from automobiles to keep parents from being distracted? Can we eliminate compact discs from Oklahoma vehicles in an effort to keep drivers from browsing through the CD case while driving?
Are we going to outlaw fast food restaurants so drivers aren’t too busy chomping a cheeseburger to pay attention on the freeway?
Where will it stop?
My own tip is this:
- Make your opinion known
- Link like crazy
- Write less
- 250 Words is enough
- Make Headlines snappy
- Write with passion
- Include Bullet point lists
- Edit your post
- Make your posts easy to scan
- Be consistent with your style
- Litter the post with keywords
