Posted: | December 6, 2022 03:03 PM |
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From: | Senator Rosemary M. Brown |
To: | All Senate members |
Subject: | ENHANCED DRIVER RESPONSIBILITY (while operating an interactive wireless communication device) |
Before you read any further, please take 3 minutes to watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FczgGotn3iU Imagine sitting at home on a beautiful summer morning when suddenly, your doorbell rings. It’s two State Police officers asking about your child. Confused by their presence, they have now told you your child is no longer alive. Through no fault of your child, a distracted driver crossed multiple lanes of traffic and hit his vehicle head-on, instantly killing him. How could this be? Your child did nothing wrong? They were obeying the law, and understood the dangers of distracted driving… yet, they paid the ultimate price. This is not a fictional story, but very much a reality for 9 families every single day, leaving their loved one’s life story unfinished. We need to remember these events when we are creating policies that balance both freedoms and protections. While accidents can happen, these are not accidents, they are crashes that could have been avoided with enhanced, responsible driving behaviors. THE USE OF MOBILE PHONES AND OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES WHILE DRIVING HAS EMERGED AS ONE OF THE LEADING CAUSES OF DISTRACTED DRIVING CRASHES, which is why it is the focus of this legislation. In the near future, I will be introducing legislation which I prime-sponsored in the House of Representatives, similar to House Bill 37 of 2021-22, prohibiting the use of hand-held interactive wireless communications devices (cellular phones and similar items) while operating a motor vehicle on the roadways of the Commonwealth. This legislation aims to remove the device from the driver’s hands and impose the behavior of utilizing technology behind the wheel with stricter deterrents. The purpose of this legislation is to not penalize drivers but to protect innocent drivers, similar to our Driving Under the Influence (DUI) laws. It is unacceptable to have this increased irresponsible driving occurring on our Pennsylvania roadways and not have laws in place to help build public safety. This legislation offers the following strengths for public safety:
Also, PennDOT’s Safety Plan for the future includes supporting legislation to address and enforce distracted driving. The Pennsylvania State Police and law enforcement are also supporting this initiative and believe these parameters are necessary to assist in improving road safety. The northeastern region of the Unites States including our border states of New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Connecticut, Maryland, Delaware, Vermont, New Hampshire and West Virginia ALL ban hand-held cell phone use. Representing a district on the border of both New York and New Jersey, I believe it is not only safer but also more consistent for drivers who frequently travel throughout these border states. While it is important to note and educate drivers that distraction is still present with the use of hands-free technology, removing the use of hand-held mobile telephones is a realistic, achievable and a crucial step to help minimize this distraction and enhance driver responsibility. I hope you will join me in co-sponsoring this legislation. Let’s make a difference in something we all know is a significant road safety concern. Let’s do what we can to increase driver accountability and responsibility! If you have any questions regarding this legislation, please contact Christine Zubeck in my office at 717-787-6123 or czubeck@pasen.gov. Thank you for your consideration. |