Phone Free Highways

Officials to consider stiffer distracted driver laws

Medical professionals and public safety officials argued Monday for stiffer laws on distracted drivers. MPB's Patty Davis reports.

You don't have to look far to find a Mississippi driver with one hand on the wheel and the other holding a cellphone. It's currently against state law for permitted and intermediate drivers to text while behind the wheel. But if Public Safety Commissioner Steve Simpson has his way, phones and blackberries will be off limits for every driver.

Simpson: If you are on a telephone call in an automobile, it should be in a hands free unit. I understand the opposite side of that argument. We don't prohibit you from eating fast food in your car, all of the other arguments. Except if it is such a distraction that it causes you to operate your vehicle improperly, then it is a violation.

Monday, the House Transportation Committee heard from emergency room doctors about the consequences of distracted driving, and from the wireless industry about new hands free communication devices. Committee Chairman, Warner McBride of Courtland, expects the issue to see plenty of debate when lawmakers return in January.

McBride: Do we need to ban texting for all drivers, I think we need to take a look at it. There's obviously allot of accidents happening by people who are texting while driving. We need to talk about that, we need to talk about phone usage. We just need to try to make our highways safer.

Bottom line for Simpson is improved safety on Mississippi roads and highways.

Simpson: The texting phenomenon, communication devices on the market today are a driving hazard in my opinion.

Other issues covered in Mondays committee meeting were efficiencies in Drivers Services, and Intelligent Transportation systems. Using technology like cameras and vehicle monitoring devices to improve the flow of traffic and commerce. The same technology McBride says could improve efficiency in state agency vehicles, which would save the state money.