OKLAHOMA CITY – Lawmakers voted this week to make it illegal to text while driving and also voted to ban cell phone use by teenage drivers with a learner’s permit.
House Bill 3250, by state Reps. Sue Tibbs and 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. Violations could result in a fine of up to $1,000.
Tibbs said drivers need to stop texting and emailing while driving altogether.
“People know they shouldn’t text and drive, but do it anyway because there’s currently no big penalty when they get caught,” said Tibbs, R-Tulsa. “This legislation will give people reason to think twice about engaging in that dangerous practice. In the end, no one wants to cause an accident because they had to text something that could have waited 10 minutes,” said Tibbs, R-Tulsa. “This bill could save people from serious injuries or death.”
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.
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.
“Young drivers need to focus on driving and learning how to be a good driver instead of talking to their friends and potentially endangering their lives or the lives of others,” Tibbs said.
House Bill 3250 passed the full House today on a 70-28 vote. It now proceeds to the Senate for a hearing.
"Considering the fact that we're talking about 3,000 pounds of metal traveling at 40 to 75 miles per hour on autopilot, that’s what happens if you are texting while driving. You have then created a dangerous situation that could lead to tragedy," Tibbs said.
