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7/13/05-A bill in the Senate Judiciary Committee would require drivers in the state to keep their hands off their phones.
SB157, sponsored by Sen. Teresa Foder, D-Toledo, would ban hand-held cell phone use while driving. Talking on a phone equipped with a “hands-free” device would still be permitted.
Young drivers with temporary instruction permits would be barred from using any phone.
The measure would make it a secondary offense to drive while using a hand-held phone – meaning a person would have to be pulled over for another violation before they could be ticketed for talking on the phone. Violators would face a $100 fine. Repeat offenders could be jailed for 30 to 60 days. It also could result in two points on a driver’s license.
Emergency calls would be exempted.
The effort also calls for establishing an offense of “inattentive driving,” which is defined as operating a vehicle while the driver’s attention is diverted “to an unreasonable degree” by a distraction
For bill status, call (614) 466-8842. In Ohio, call 1-800-282-0253.
An identical House bill – HB274 – is in the House Transportation, Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee.
SB157, sponsored by Sen. Teresa Foder, D-Toledo, would ban hand-held cell phone use while driving. Talking on a phone equipped with a “hands-free” device would still be permitted.
Young drivers with temporary instruction permits would be barred from using any phone.
The measure would make it a secondary offense to drive while using a hand-held phone – meaning a person would have to be pulled over for another violation before they could be ticketed for talking on the phone. Violators would face a $100 fine. Repeat offenders could be jailed for 30 to 60 days. It also could result in two points on a driver’s license.
Emergency calls would be exempted.
The effort also calls for establishing an offense of “inattentive driving,” which is defined as operating a vehicle while the driver’s attention is diverted “to an unreasonable degree” by a distraction
For bill status, call (614) 466-8842. In Ohio, call 1-800-282-0253.
An identical House bill – HB274 – is in the House Transportation, Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee.