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Cell Phone Study

Date: Feb 21, 2005
Contributor: Neil Brixey

Panel approves cell phone study

State lawmakers want more information before deciding whether to tackle driving distractions.

Lawmakers were so hesitant to tackle a bill on cell phone use while driving that they weren't sure they even wanted to talk about it anymore.

Nevertheless, a bill that makes driver inattention a topic for a summer study today eked out of the House Roads and Transportation Committee 6-4.

House Bill 1508, sponsored by Rep. Vanessa Summers, D-Indianapolis, started out as a proposal that would have banned drivers from using hand-held phones in their vehicles. A hands-free device would have been legal.

But it was weakened in committee by Chairman Cleo Duncan, R-Greensburg, who said she wanted to study other forms of driver distraction, too.

Summers said the bill was still a "work in progress" and that she wanted the issue to stay alive so she can continue to increase public awareness about cell phone use while driving.

Lawmakers were concerned that so many driver distractions exist -- from arguing children to DVD players in vehicles -- that it would be impossible for a study committee to fix the problem.

"Are we going to outlaw conversations in a car?" asked Rep. Jim Buck, R-Kokomo.

And Rep. Eric Gutwein, R-Rensselaer, said new laws won't make drivers more attentive.

"I've got a nephew who day dreams while he drives. What are we going to do about him?" Gutwein asked.

Even some who voted "yes" were reluctant to advance the measure, even to a summer student committee.

Rep. Terry Goodin, D-Crothersville, voted yes but encouraged the legislative sponsors to turn the bill into a resolution encouraging Gov. Mitch Daniels' administration to launch a public awareness campaign on inattentive driving



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