by RONNIE ELLIS
FRANKFORT — Jody Richards said the idea is simple – do something to save lives on the highways, especially the lives of young people. Some, however, see it as an infringement on liberties.
House Bill 43, sponsored by Richards, would ban texting by drivers in moving vehicles and use of cell phones by drivers under 18. Fines would range from $20 to $100 depending on the number of offenses. And despite concerns by some that it is hard to enforce or might infringe on personal liberty, the bill passed the House 80-16 Thursday.
"This bill is about saving lives and saving people from serious injuries,” Richards told the House. He said 24 teens died on the state’s highways last year in accidents caused by distracted driving.
Already 19 other states and the District of Columbia have similar laws, Richards said. But Rep. Sal Santoro, R-Florence, and Rep. Brad Montell, R-Shelbyville, said they’ve read data which shows those states show no change in the incidence of accidents after passage of the laws, but Richards cited data from the National Conference of State Legislators which indicates fewer deaths and serious accidents.
Rep. Alicia Webb-Edgington, R-Ft. Wright, like Santoro a former Kentucky State Police officer, said existing laws against reckless driving are already on the books, easier to enforce and carry stronger penalties. But Richards said the law would encourage young drivers to develop safe driving habits which they are likely to continue into adulthood.
Rep. Keith Hall, D-Phelps, said he voted against Richards’ bill in committee. But then, he said, he asked his 18-year old daughter while she was texting on her phone and she told him he ought to vote for it.
On the way from that dinner, Hall said, he got a call his wife had been involved in an auto accident. When he got there, he said, his wife told him she’d looked down when her cell phone rang and her car collided with another whose driver who she told Hall was also on her cell phone. That was enough to change Hall’s mind and he commended Richards for the bill and voted for it.
The bill passed 80-16 with all 16 no votes coming from Republicans.
RONNIE ELLIS writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort. Reach him at rellis@cnhi.com. Follow CNHI News Service stories on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cnhifrankfort.
