TMCnet News
Lawmakers don't think total cell phone ban would pass in Pa.Dec 15, 2011 (The York Dispatch - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- While traveling on Interstate 83, State Rep. Ron Miller drove behind a swerving vehicle. "I sped up to see why this guy was swerving," Miller said. "He wasn't on a cell phone. He was reading a newspaper. I've seen (drivers) eating a hamburger and drinking soda at the same time. "When you're dealing with (driving issues) you can't just focus on one thing being a distraction," he added. Miller, R-Jacobus, said that's why he disagrees with the National Transportation Safety Board's recommendation that states should ban all driver use of cell phones and other portable electronic devices, except in emergencies. Announced Tuesday, the recommendation unanimously agreed to by the five-member board applies to both hands-free and hand-held phones and significantly exceeds any existing state laws restricting texting and cell phone use behind the wheel. "I doubt a bill like that would pass in Pennsylvania," Miller said. "The best approach would be to (do) a distracted driving bill, not just something on cell phones. There are many other distractions than talking on the phone." Drivers can be distracted by passengers, especially children, Miller added. "You can be distracted by talking to (passengers)," he said The background: The National Transportation Safety Board made the recommendation in connection with a deadly highway pileup in Missouri last year. The board said the initial collision in the accident near Gray Summit, Mo., was caused by the inattention of a 19 year-old-pickup driver who sent or received 11 texts in the 11 minutes immediately before the crash. While the NTSB doesn't have the power to impose restrictions, it's recommendations carry significant weight with federal regulators and congressional and state lawmakers. The board has previously recommended bans on texting and cell phone use by commercial truck and bus drivers and beginning drivers, but it had stopped short of calling for a ban on the use of the devices by adults behind the wheel of passenger cars. In November, Pennsylvania became the 35th state to forbid texting while driving. DePasquale's stance: State Rep. Eugene DePasquale, D-York City, said he has long supported the idea of banning the use of hand-held cell phones while driving. However, he said he disagrees with the NTSB's proposal to also ban hands-free phone usage. "I believe a Bluetooth or a speaker phone is OK to use," DePasquale said. "There's a lot of things that can be a distraction, and you would have to think of what things would be the most distracting (for drivers)." He said there would be a lot of support in Pennsylvania for a ban on hand-held phone use while driving. "But I don't think there would be nearly enough support for banning speaker phones or Bluetooth," DePasquale said. --Reach Eyana Adah McMillan at 505-5438 or [email protected]. ___ (c)2011 The York Dispatch (York, Pa.) Visit The York Dispatch (York, Pa.) at www.yorkdispatch.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |