By Francis Scarcella
Using a cell phone while driving is a distraction. Distracted drivers, regardless of age, can cause accidents, but teen drivers using cell phones are the ones being targeted by a bill before the state Legislature.
As early as next week, lawmakers will vote on the final version of a bill that will ban any form of cell phone use in a vehicle if the driver is between the ages of 16-18.
“We already sent this law to the Senate,” said state Rep. Robert Belfanti Jr., D-107 of Mount Carmel. “We are just waiting for the amendments.”
The bill was prompted in part by a report by the National Traffic Safety Administration that found that the number of teen drivers involved in accidents while using cell phones is increasing.
Granted, cell phones are by no means the only cause of distraction to drivers. Beyond drivers who speed or are under the influence of alcohol or drugs, the list of reasons why people take their eyes off the road includes changing a radio station, eating food, talking to passengers and daydreaming.
“Even though these accidents are occurring more and more among teens, there still are older people that are in crashes as well,” Belfanti said.
State Rep. Merle Phillips, R-108 of RD2 Sunbury, is in favor of the bill. But even though accidents involving teens occur too often, he doesn’t believe a change in the driving age is required.
“It wouldn’t make any difference,” Phillips said. “It’s not the age that’s the issue, it’s the responsibility.”
Phillips pointed to what he thinks is the main reason for the climbing numbers of teen accidents, and it’s yet another distraction.
“I think that with teen drivers, they are traveling with carloads of other teens,” he said.
He’s concerned about teens getting a reputation for causing the majority of motor vehicle accidents when that’s not always the case.
“There is no age limit on speeding,” he said. “It’s all about being responsible.”
n E-mail comments to fscarcella@dailyitem.com.
