February 21, 2012 in Idaho

Idaho Senate backs texting-while-driving ban

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Domed ceiling of the Idaho Senate chamber
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BOISE - The Idaho Senate has voted 29-6 in favor of banning texting while driving in the state, making it an infraction; the bill now moves to the House.

“This bill specifically calls out texting as inappropriate and unsafe, and it provides guidance for those who might text that it’s against the law,” Sen. Jim Hammond, R-Coeur d’Alene, told the Senate.

Hammond said he used to think Idaho’s inattentive driving laws adequately addressed this issue, but then he learned that just from 2002 to 2007, 16,141 deaths nationwide were caused by texting while driving. “Any activity that we undertake to enhance the safety of our driving public relative to this rising number of fatalities seems imperative to me,” he said.

In January, an 18-year-old Caldwell woman, Taylor Sauer, died in a freeway crash while texting. Sen. Patti Anne Lodge, R-Huston, Hammond’s co-sponsor on the bill, read a letter from her family urging passage of the bill, and the Senate welcomed the family, which sat in the gallery, with applause.

“For our young people, reaching for their smart phone is second nature,” Lodge told the Senate. “With the exuberance of their youth, they do not understand the dangers of driving while texting.”

Idaho’s Legislature has considered texting bans for each of the last three years, but has never successfully passed one. Two years ago, a ban that had passed the Senate died on the final night of the legislative session in the House, when then-Rep. Raul Labrador, now an Idaho congressman, used a parliamentary maneuver to force a two-thirds vote. The bill failed, with just a 37-30 majority.

Sen. Les Bock, D-Boise, said, “It’s been a long wait. … We have a bill that I think is better than any of the bills that we’ve seen before.”

Idaho currently has misdemeanor penalties for inattentive driving, but no specific law banning texting while driving.

All of North Idaho’s senators voted in favor of the bill except for Sen. Steve Vick, R-Dalton Gardens, and Sen. Sheryl Nuxoll, R-Cottonwood.

“I have to admit, I’ve done it, and I found myself weaving and not being in my lane of traffic,” said Sen. Joyce Broadsword, R-Sagle. “We need to be sure that we are protecting Idaho citizens from their own stupidity, and I’m sorry, that’s the way I feel about it.”

11 comments on this story so far. Add yours!

• 

  crazyivan44 on February 21 at 11:45 a.m.

  “I have to admit, I’ve done it, and I found myself weaving and not being in my lane of traffic,” said Sen. Joyce Broadsword, R-Sagle. “We need to be sure that we are protecting Idaho citizens from their own stupidity, and I’m sorry, that’s the way I feel about it.”

  Thanks mom………

  Is it reckless and stupid, YES, will this law make one lick of difference? I haven’t noticed any less people texting or talking while driving in WA have any of you? I can see a law enforcing maximum or enhanced penalties for someone that causes a wreck and injures or kills someone else due to texting making more sense.

• 

  oneanddone on February 21 at 11:57 a.m.

  Certainly it’s covered by the inattentive law but a lot of fools need to have specifics. And while it won’t stop some it will stop others, with those who don’t will eventually run afoul of some ISP officer. The only problem I see is that it likely won’t get by those house legislators with serious personality issues such as Nonini and Hart.

• 

  johnclarke on February 21 at 11:58 a.m.

  The Republican Party is sure focused on the important stuff like interfering with “personal liberty”. I thought they were all against gubmint telling you what to do? I’m so confused.

• 

  slamdunk on February 21 at 12:23 p.m.

  I think Idaho ought to ban their house and senate…nothing but a bunch of far right wing thugs! Completely insane ones at that!

• 

  RedCedar on February 21 at 12:27 p.m.

  I’m so confused.

  
  No, you’re just wrong. Sometimes people, or even large groups of people, don’t always act according to one’s stereotypes.

• 

  Loudin on February 21 at 1:16 p.m.

  Idahoot senators are confused.

  If they (“gub’ment”) ban something, Idahootans will do it just to spite the gub’ment. Everybody knows that gub’ment can’t do anything right, only slack-jawed locals who anonymously snipe via the internet can. Thus, a ban ultimately results in more texting.

  Loudin

• 

  redwhiteblue on February 21 at 1:28 p.m.

  to the 6 that thinks it is ok to drive while texing needs to be fired and go get a real job. I have seen people driving and texing and yecking on the phone go through an intersection and trying to turn and end up on the sidewalk, maybe that was one of the 6 that thinks this is ok.

• 

  soccermomsusie on February 21 at 2:33 p.m.

  I text while I drive all the time, right here in Good Old Spokane! A police officer has never stopped me from doing it. I have never received a ticket.

  I am aware of the dangers of texting while driving. That is why I drive a hummer. God forbid if/when I were to run into a school bus full of little brats, or a transient walker, or luckily a stinky bicyclist. At least I won’t be injured.

  Also, texting is the ultimate plausible deniability (along with fake siezures, fake diabetes, etc) when I need to get the Hummer up on the sidewalk or use some lawns as a shortcut.

  HEAR OUR VOICE!!!

• 

  johnclarke on February 21 at 4:25 p.m.

  RedCedar on February 21 at 12:27 p.m.

  I’m so confused.

  No, you’re just wrong. Sometimes people, or even large groups of people, don’t always act according to one’s stereotypes.

  Um, hello Red Rover. Republicans see themselves as the party of smaller government, less intrusion, stuff like that. Yet all they want to do is intrude on a regular basis. They have issues.

• 

  BRR on February 21 at 6:17 p.m.

  Perhaps on one of those national Sunday morning shows in which Raul Labrador is often seen fluffing his feathers, aka peacocking, an asture questioner will ask him how he feels about the people in Idaho who have been killed by texters or texting since his ooohh so clever use of a parliamentary manuever to overcome a majortity vote.

  Good example of right wing ideological leading to death, suffering, and misery.

  Thanks Raul.

• 

  BRR on February 21 at 6:26 p.m.

  Republicans don’t want to follow laws passed by Congress that mandate healthcare insurance but they do want to mandate invasive vaginal utlrasounds.