Platts Sponsors Legislation to Ban Texting While Driving

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Todd Platts (PA-19) introduced legislation yesterday to encourage states to prohibit texting on a cell phone or other electronic device while operating a motor vehicle. This legislation comes in the wake of a recent study by Car and Driver Magazine which found that texting while driving is more dangerous than driving intoxicated and a study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute which revealed that drivers are 23 times more likely to get into an accident when texting on their phones.  Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy (NY-4) serves as the bill’s lead Democratic sponsor. 

“According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 5,870 Americans lost their lives and an additional 515,000 were injured in police-reported crashes in which driver distraction was involved,” said Congressman Platts.  “Additional studies reveal that 20 percent of drivers in the United States send text messages while driving, and 50% of respondents aged 18-24 admitted in a recent national survey that they text while driving.  It’s time to take action to prevent these tragic and needless accidents.”

Earlier this fall, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood hosted a summit to address the dangers of text-messaging and other distractions behind the wheel.  Secretary LaHood also provided testimony at an October 29, 2009 hearing on distracted driving conducted by the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, of which Congressman Platts is a member.  

Many states are already taking the initiative to address this growing problem.  Currently, 19 states and the District of Columbia ban all drivers from texting while operating motor vehicles – while nine other states have a modified ban on texting while driving.  On November 10, 2009, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Transportation Committee unanimously adopted legislation (H.B. 2070) to ban texting while driving.  H.B. 2070 was sponsored by State Representative Joseph Markosek and co-sponsored by York County Representatives Eugene DePasquale, Seth Grove and Ron Miller.  The Pennsylvania Senate passed legislation on July 9, 2009 (S.B. 143) that prohibits the operation of motor vehicles while using electronic wireless communications devices.

Congressman Platts’ legislation gives states, as a condition of receiving federal highway funds, until October 1, 2011 to pass laws that prohibit composing, reading, or sending an electronic message while operating a motor vehicle.  States that do not adopt a conforming law by said date will lose a share of their federal highway funds over time (2% in fiscal year 2012, 4% in 2013, 6% in 2014, and 8% in 2015 and thereafter).  States that comply within four years would be reimbursed for any withheld funds.