COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A bill that could make texting or scrolling while driving a offense that is primary Ohio inched closer to becoming a law on Tuesday.
House Bill 283 was introduced more than a year ago, in May 2021, by Rep. Cindy Abrams (R-Harrison) and Rep. Brian Lampton (R-Beavercreek). If enacted, law enforcement would no longer need a reason that is secondary like a driver swerving between lanes — to pull over someone to their phone. That digital camera would turn into a offense that is primary.
State lawmakers in the House Criminal Justice Committee unanimously reported it out of committee on Tuesday and recommended its passage, as the Ohio General Assembly kicks off its post-election lame-duck session ahead of the new year.
The bill was sent to the Ohio House with two amendments that are new. Drivers stopped at stop lights taking a look at their phones wouldn’t be in violation regarding the bill, and neither would drivers holding a phone with their ear while cruising. Under H.B. 283, Ohioans will also be still able to utilize hands-free modes of communication, such as for instance through Bluetooth, while driving.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Ohio branch regarding the American Automobile Association therefore the city of Columbus have got all previously testified with respect to the balance, among other proponents. Inside a March interview with Nexstar’s NBC4, Abrams said she believes the presssing issue at hand is nonpartisan.
“I don’t care where you live, what party that is political participate in, what school you choose to go to, what neighborhood your home is in — this affects everyone in Ohio. The minute you take out of the driveway, you’re impacted by this,” Abrams said.
Around half regarding the states within the U.S. have previously put laws into place making texting or scrolling while driving a offense that is primary. Gov. Mike DeWine pointed to that in his annual State of the State address in March, once the recently reelected governor said distracted driving, as a whole, was costing way too many Ohioans their lives.
Distracted driving has lead to 72,832 crashes in Ohio at the time of Monday, in line with the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s distracted driving dashboard.
