HARRISBURG -- For the last four years, the state Legislature has been making faint attempts to improve road safety by prohibiting drivers from using hand-held cell phones or by banning texting while driving.

Today, the state House Transportation Committee will vote on a bill to accomplish one of those goals -- outlawing text messaging while driving, on the grounds that motorists have to take their eyes and attention off the road while they write and send the messages.

The bill's lead sponsor is Rep. Joe Markosek, D-Monroeville, Transportation Committee chairman. Yesterday, he had a blunt message about why he thinks the new prohibition is needed -- to keep people alive.

"We are all just one text message from eternity," he said. His measure, House Bill 2070, could be approved by his committee as soon as today and sent to the full House for action.

He and other legislators said an increasing number of accidents, some fatal, are happening across the state as more drivers are distracted by text messaging. A recent late-night accident in Harrisburg that killed two people was caused by a motorist text messaging while driving across a narrow four-lane bridge.

Besides banning text messaging by all drivers, the new bill also prohibits teens who have drivers' permits or junior licenses (those age 16 and 17) from using "any wireless communication device," including a cell phone, while driving.

Mr. Markosek's bill, as now written, doesn't prohibit drivers age 18 and older from using hand-held cell phones while they're behind the wheel. But an effort to toughen the bill by adding such a provision is likely once it hits the House floor.

"I hope this bill will be expanded to require drivers to use hands-free [phone] devices, as we know this will help make our roads even safer," said Rep. Josh Shapiro, D-Montgomery.

As opposed to past legislative efforts to ban drivers from texting or using hand-held cell phones, this new bill appears to have widespread bipartisan support. The committee's top Republican, Rep. Rick Geist, of Blair County, is a co-sponsor, and several legislators of both parties, include Reps. Paul Costa, D-Wilkins, and John Evans, R-Erie, were at a news conference yesterday supporting the measure.

"This is not a Republican or Democratic issue, it's a safety issue," said Rep. Kathy Watson, R-Bucks.

The bill would make texting while driving a "primary" offense, meaning police officers could stop a driver merely if they see him or her texting behind the wheel. By contrast, a driver's failure to wear a seat belt is a "secondary" offense, meaning an officer can't stop a driver just for not wearing a seat belt, but the police officer can add that offense if a driver is stopped for another reason, such as speeding or running a red light.

Under the new bill, there are a couple exceptions when a motorist would be allowed to send a text message -- if he's contacting 911 for an emergency, or if the driver is stopped in a traffic jam and he has put the car in neutral or park, or turned off the ignition.

Mr. Markosek said his bill would prohibit car insurance companies from increasing a driver's premium if he or she is found guilty of texting while driving.

The penalty for texting while driving would be $50, although the fine would be doubled to $100 if the texting occurred in a school zone, an active work zone, a highway safety corridor or an emergency response area. If a state police officer issues the texting ticket, all the money goes to the state. If a local officer does so, half the money goes to the state and half to the municipality.

Mr. Markosek called the bill a compromise, meaning the $50 fine wasn't as high as some legislators would like but more than others wanted. He is trying to get the bill approved as soon as possible to increase traffic safety, so he said he had to compromise on some aspects.

The new state law would supersede all local laws on texting, so "we don't end up with a patchwork quilt of laws around the state," Mr. Markosek said.

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