State Lawmakers Want To Stop Use Of Cellphones Behind The Wheel

It could soon be illegal to look at your phone while you're behind the wheel.

Thursday, April 23rd 2015, 11:23 pm

By: News 9


It could soon be illegal to look at your phone while you're behind the wheel.

Right now, some lawmakers are fighting to allow police to pull you over for it.

For years lawmakers have been trying to make it illegal to text and drive in Oklahoma and now believe they could be making progress.

It's hard to admit, but just about everyone at some point has looked down and read or answered a text or email. It is illegal, but it's a secondary offense meaning you're off the hook unless you're caught doing something else wrong like speeding.

But some lawmakers are pushing to change that.

"The Senate finally took the big step to make texting while driving a primary offense, which means if a police officer were driving down the road and saw you texting they could actually pull you over for that. But, unfortunately in the House of Representatives we have tried with amendment after amendment and bill after bill to try to get the House of Representatives to make it a primary offense as well," Rep. Scott Inman said.

Inman said they're still trying. So in the meantime, law enforcement could see someone texting but can't pull them over unless they are breaking the law in some other manner.

There are distracted driving laws in place that include texting and even eating a hamburger, anything that takes your attention off the road. They are all secondary offenses and all too little too late according to Inman.

"Even if you make it a secondary offense the police officer could not have stopped the guy who killed trooper Dees until after he killed trooper Dees," Inman said

If cell phone use while driving were a primary offense it would give authorities enough reason to make a traffic stop and write a ticket, and it would be up to the driver to prove otherwise.

"With the number of drivers in Oklahoma who are texting and driving down the road it's time for a change," Inman said.

The new push would also include cell phone use while stopped in traffic or while at traffic lights.

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