Anti-texting Bill Facing Uncertain Future in Legislature

NEWS from AAA Oklahoma, April 29 – AAA Oklahoma is urging state lawmakers to pass a strong anti-texting while driving bill before the current legislative ends next month. Senate Bill 1908 would ban texting by all drivers in Oklahoma.  It is now headed for a legislative conference committee.

“Anything can happen to a bill once it reaches a conference committee, every sentence is fair game,” said Chuck Mai, spokesman for AAA Oklahoma. “We’re hoping the committee will not weaken the language in the bill that addresses what AAA perceives as major safety concerns.”

AAA encourages legislators to retain two key provisions of SB 1908.  One, to outlaw the act of texting by all Oklahoma motorists and two, to impose a fine of $1,000 on violators.

“We should learn from California’s experience,” said Mai.  “Fifteen months after California’s texting ban was implemented, incidences of texting-while-driving appear to be on the rise again. We suspect that because California fines first-time violators only $20, motorists don’t take it seriously.”

SB 1908, co-authored by Sen. Anthony Sykes of Moore and Rep. Sue Tibbs, Tulsa, would also prohibit drivers under age 18, who have either a learner’s permit or an intermediate driver’s license, from using a cell phone to talk or to text while behind the wheel.  AAA Oklahoma strongly supports this provision of the bill, also.

“Many studies have shown that texting while driving is a high-risk behavior, multiplying by several times your chances of being involved in a crash,” said Mai.  “Researchers call texting a ‘perfect storm’ because drivers take their hands off the steering wheel and their eyes and minds off the road. We desperately need the state of Oklahoma to send a clear message to motorists that texting while driving is foolhardy.”