Cell Phone/Driving Ban in the City of Erie?
October 29, 2009, 3:53 pm
Talking on your cell phone and driving, while many do it, it could be made illegal in the city of Erie. A city council member is pushing for just that to happen. CLICK FOR VIDEO
A cell phone while driving ban has been tossed around state government for years, but it's never gotten out of committee.
So one city council member is taking a big step, to make it happen here.
Erie City Councilwoman, Rubye Jenkins-Husband, will ask council next week, to support a resolution to start drafting an ordinance, to ban hand-held cell phone use while driving within the city of Erie.
Details of the ordinance, like how the law would be enforced, still needs to be studied.
And while Erie's Police Chief says the law is a good concept, the city would have to take a closer look at accident data, to see just how much cell phone use while driving, contributes to accidents.
"I think what's most important now is that we help protect lives, public safety. It appears that as technology has increased and mobile use, that people are doing almost everything else but keeping their eyes on the road." Said Jenkins-Husband.
"We've got some complaints. I've personally seen some driving that's questionable with people on their cell phones. So there is an exception for emergency vehicles, but overall I think we need to take a hard look at it. To try and determine whether or not it's effecting what's happening on the roadways." Said Chief Steve Franklin.
This is the second time Jenkins-Husband has proposed this resolution. Back in 2000, she proposed the same ordinance, but council obviously did not pass it.
Emily Matson
