Editorial: Keep hands off phones while driving

The following editorial appeared in The (Sunbury) Daily Item, a CNHI newspaper. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Meadville Tribune.

With a vote of 124-77, members of the state House of Representatives this week took another important and necessary step toward safer streets, roads and highways across Pennsylvania.

The state House adopted Senate Bill 37, which would make it illegal for a driver to hold an electronic mobile device — such as a cellphone — in their hands or balanced on their lap while making a call, sending a text message or email, posting to social media, snapping a photo or recording a video.

The bill was approved by the full Senate with a 37-11 vote last June. The legislation now returns to the Senate for final agreement on some changes made before approval in the House.

“This legislation aims to remove the device from the driver’s hands and impose the behavior of utilizing technology behind the wheel with stricter deterrents,” wrote state Sen. Rosemary M. Brown, R-Lackawanna, Monroe and Wayne counties, who introduced the bill.

By “utilizing technology,” Brown is referring to exceptions in the proposal that allow drivers to use hands-free functions, such as microphones and speakers within the device or integrated into the vehicle, that enable the user to speak and listen without actually holding the device in their hands.

The bill also allows a driver to hold their phone to call or text law enforcement or other authorities in the midst of an emergency. The proposal makes it illegal to reach or stretch to reach an electronic device while driving and notes that drivers can hold their phones if they pull off the road and park in a safe area.

The proposed charge of “providing use of interactive mobile device” would be a summary offense punishable by a $50 fine. Drivers would receive written warnings for the first 12 months if the bill becomes law.

If a driver breaks the law and it results in a serious accident bringing a charge of aggravated assault by vehicle, they could face up to an additional five years in prison. In addition, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency would develop sentencing enhancements for violators who cause a fatal accident in a work zone while holding a phone or electronic device.

The state Department of Transportation reports in its most recent annual “Crash Facts and Statistics” report that there were 11,484 people involved in accidents caused by distracted driving in 2022, resulting in 62 deaths.

In a memo to fellow lawmakers, Sen. Brown noted that the AAA Traffic Safety Culture Index found that 87.5 percent of drivers believe that distracted driving has outpaced all other traffic-related issues as a growing safety concern, and 96.8 percent of surveyed drivers view texting or emailing while driving as a serious threat.

If the bill receives final approval in the state Legislature and is signed by the governor, Pennsylvania would join the bordering and nearby states of New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, Connecticut, Vermont and New Hampshire prohibiting motorists from holding electronic devices while driving.

And one final thought: We don’t need a law to do the safer thing. Let’s put the phones away, starting today.