Many states took preventative measures against distracted driving in 2019 by deploying cellphone bans where drivers cannot hold a phone while driving. And Pennsylvania may be the next state after a new cellphone ban passed through the House of Representatives.
According to the Observer-Reporter, the lower house approved a proposal that prohibits talking or texting on a hand-held device while driving. However, the ban still has more hurdles to jump before it becomes a full-fledged law.
It’s more than texting behind the wheel
Advocates for the ban argue that drivers need to worry about more than just texting while driving. In fact, dialing a phone number, talking on the phone or searching for directions is almost as dangerous as texting behind the wheel. It also hinders police from pulling over drivers since they cannot tell if they are texting or dialing their phones.
Many opponents of the bill suggested that it would violate “personal liberties” of most Pennsylvanian residents and discourage drivers not to use their phones during emergency situations. However, the House already approved an exception in the bill to call 911 during critical circumstances.
It’s critical to know that commercial truck drivers already follow similar laws because they aren’t allowed to hold any device while driving. The new proposal would only extend those guidelines to all residents, like Minnesota and California’s cellphone bans.
Until the bill is either approved or shot down, residents need to drive defensively on the roads. There will be situations where other people will distract themselves and cause severe accidents for everyone around them. In these cases, you will need to make sure you take the right steps to protect yourself and your wallet.