Spokane7
36°
Idaho’s got bipartisan legislation in the works to ban texting while driving, a move roughly two dozen states already have made. Sen. Les Bock, D-Boise, proposed similar legislation this year, but now he’s got a high-profile co-sponsor on board: House Transportation Chairwoman JoAn Wood, R-Rigby. “I’ve ben thinking about it for quite some time,” Wood told Eye on Boise. “Maybe it’s because I’m not very good at it anyway - there’s no way that I could do that and drive. I see kids coming out of the high school and doing it, and it really bothers me that they’re on the road and doing it.”
“This issue was a bit under the radar when we brought it up last winter,” Bock said. “But clearly, the time has come to enact legislation that will help drivers realize that it’s neither safe nor smart to text while driving.” He added, “Public awareness of the dangers of texting while driving has increased exponentially this summer. We now know that the longer we wait to act, the more lives will be lost.”
Bock’s other co-sponsors for the bill so far include Assistant Senate Minority Leader Elliot Werk, D-Boise; and Reps. Liz Chavez, D-Lewiston; Elfreda Higgins, D-Garden City, and Anne Pasley-Stuart, D-Boise. Bock also has legislation in the works to require use of a hands-free device while talking on cell phones while driving, something that’s already the law in Washington. Wood said she hasn’t signed on as a co-sponsor on that one at this point; she plans to look into the issue and confer with other members of the House Transportation Committee.
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erico49 on September 19 at 10:03 a.m.
Texting is reportedly more dangerous than driving at .08 BAC… so let’s pattern the law after the DUI laws. Police should be able to pull a car over for no other reason than to check if the driver has been texting. The driver must surrender the phone so that the officer can check the texting history. If it is found that the driver has been texting, they forfeit his/her license on the spot and go through the same procedures as DUI suspects.
ericn1300 on September 19 at 7:35 p.m.
Hey Betsy, the title of this post implies that it’s a done deal and already law. Maybe the inclusion of a modifier like “would” is appropiate?
In response to erico49’s post, seizing a phone and reviewing the text messages would be a serious violation of the fourth admendment and is probably illegal under current federal “wiretapping” laws.
erico49 on September 20 at 8:36 a.m.
ericn.. I agree. so are you in favor of modifying the dui laws to get rid of those exact provisious? After all .. texting is more dangerous.