A measure in Oklahoma that places limits on texting while driving has passed out of the House Public Safety Committee. The measure would also prohibit young drivers from using a cell phone to talk or text while the vehicle is in motion.
House Bill 3250, by state Rep. Sue Tibbsand state Rep. Danny Morgan, would penalize any person who is operating a motor vehicle on a street or highway while using a cellular telephone or electronic communication device to write, send, or read a text-based communication while the motor vehicle is in motion with a fine of up to $1,000.
“This is an important measure that hopefully will encourage drivers to pull off the road to a safe area if they must text someone,” said Tibbs, R-Tulsa. “This could save people from serious injuries or death. There’s no reason for innocent lives to be lost because a text couldn’t wait.”
House Bill 3250 also prohibits any driver operating under a learner’s permit or an intermediate driver’s license (class D) from using a cell phone to talk or text when the car is in motion. In addition, learner’s permit holders would only be able to drive between the hours of 5 a.m. and 10 p.m. Violation of either provision would result in the suspension of the driver’s license, payment of court costs and ticket fees.
Tibbs noted that the Tulsa-based Crime Commission has partnered with students from Booker T. Washington High School to create a program that keeps Oklahoma’s teenage drivers safe on the road. State Farm Insurance is funding the “Generation tXt” program through their Youth Advisory Board grant in the amount of $35,453.
Generation tXt focuses on educating 8th and 9th grade students on the dangers of texting and driving through educational forums, videos, driving simulators and educational curriculum.
According to a Virginia Tech Transportation Institution study, for every six seconds of drive time, a driver sending or receiving a text message spends 4.6 of those seconds with their eyes off the road.
Each year, 21 percent of fatal car crashes involving teenagers between the ages of 16 and19 were the result of cell phone usage. That number is expected to increase as much as 4 percent every year, according to the study.
Source: Oklahoma House of Representatives
Topics Auto Legislation Personal Auto Oklahoma
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