Texting ban wins Pa. Senate approval
Share with others:
HARRISBURG -- The state Senate sent two major pieces of legislation to Gov. Tom Corbett's desk, aimed at boosting safety for Pennsylvanians on the road and for students on the playing field.
Lawmakers gave final approval to a measure that prohibits motorists from sending, receiving or reading text messages while driving.
That measure passed the Senate on Tuesday with a 45-5 vote, one day after the House also overwhelmingly approved it. Mr. Corbett has spoken harshly about seeing drivers navigating their vehicle while their eyes are glued to a cell phone screen, and plans to sign the bill.
"Hallelujah," said Sen. Jim Ferlo, D-Highland Park, who's been advocating a texting ban since May.
The measure makes it a "primary offense" to send, receive or read a text message while operating a vehicle, meaning a police officer can stop and ticket a driver seen using a texting device. Sponsors said it should increase traffic safety by making motorists keep their eye on the road, not on a texting device.
The penalty for texting while driving is $50.
"Texting is one of the most dangerous and deadly forms of distracted driving," said Sen. Robert Tomlinson, R-Bucks, who introduced the measure. "You definitely have to take your eyes off the road to look at your texting device."
Originally, texting while driving was to be a secondary offense, meaning a police officer could add it as an additional charge only if he or she had stopped a motorist for another offense, such as speeding or running a red light.
But some legislators, such as Mr. Ferlo and Rep. Josh Shapiro, D-Montgomery, argued for boosting it up to a primary offense. Mr. Shapiro also wanted to make talking on a hand-held cell phone while driving an offense, but that provision was removed from the bill.
First Published November 2, 2011 12:00 am
