Distracted Driving Legislation Advances in Congress
On Wednesday of this week the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation approved S. 1938, the Distracted Driving Prevention Act, which was introduced by Senator John Rockefeller (D-WV) and co-sponsored by Senators Robert Casey (D-PA), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Charles Schumer (D-NY), John Thune (R-SD), Tom Udall (D-NM), David Vitter (R-LA), and Mark Warner (D-VA).
This bill would create an incentive grant program to award federal money to states that enact bans on texting and hand-held cell phone use behind the wheel. The legislation also contains a provision that would require states to prohibit teen drivers (up to age 18) from using hands-free cell phones, hand-held cell phones and texting devices while driving. The teen driver provisions of S. 1938 are similar to the electronic communications device prohibitions included in the STANDUP Act (S. 3269 and H.R. 1895).
The same day that S. 1938 passed out of committee, the New England Journal of Medicine ran a featured commentary calling for physicians to tell patients not to send text messages or use cellphones while driving, just as they advise them against smoking or to use seat belts.
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