Rep. Ross Ford
OKLAHOMA CITY — A state legislator believes Oklahoma should take another step to curb distracted driving.
The House Public Safety Committee endorsed House Bill 2228 by Rep. Ross Ford, which would forbid operation of a motor vehicle while the driver is holding or using a handheld cellular telephone or other electronic device when the vehicle is in motion.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Oklahoma already bans handheld use of a mobile phone by novice drivers and drivers of commercial vehicles and school buses.
After an accident involving a distracted driver resulted in the deaths of two Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers, the Legislature in 2015 passed a prohibition against texting and driving. That law imposes a $100 fine for any driver operating a motor vehicle while texting, emailing or using instant messaging while the vehicle is in motion.
“While that ban makes it illegal to text while driving, it does nothing to provide restrictions on other distractions,” said Ford, R-Broken Arrow.
HB 2228 would “clarify that a driver can’t be holding or viewing content on a cell phone or other electronic device when they should have all of their attention focused on driving.”
The bill would not prohibit use of a hands-free device or one that plays through a car’s radio. There also are exceptions for talking to law enforcement officers or other specified officials for emergency communications.
HB 2228 would prohibit confiscation of a cellular telephone to determine a violation unless the driver consented. The measure would limit the fine for a violation to $5 and court costs and fees to $95.
Ford, a former police officer, said his bill could help save lives.
Using a cell phone while driving “creates enormous potential for deaths and injuries on U.S. roads,” the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration notes. The NHTSA reported 3,142 people were killed in 2020 in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers.
HB 2228 is now eligible for consideration by the entire 101-member House of Representatives.
“Distracted driving is a significant public health and safety issue, particularly as the prevalence of new communication technologies increases the potential for driving distracted,” the NCSL notes.
More than 300 million people in the United States have cell phones.
“At any given moment during the daylight hours, more than 800,000 vehicles are being driven by someone using a handheld cell phone,” the NCSL said.
Lawmakers at the state, federal and local levels are evaluating a wide variety of issues related to distracted driving, and “the most common concern is the potential distraction caused by cell phones and other technology in the car,” the NCSL reports.
More than 220 million people in the United States subscribe to wireless services, according to the NCSL, and it is estimated that as many as 80% of those subscribers use their phones while driving.
States primarily use handheld and texting bans to combat distracted driving, records show. A growing number of states also include a prohibition to access, view or read non-navigation-related content.