Proposal Would Punish Distracted Driving Like Drunken Driving

COLUMBUS, OH — Proposed Ohio legislation would punish texting and driving like drunken driving.

House Bill 283 would make driving while handling any electronic wireless device a primary offense for adults, and increase fines for drivers who habitually use devices while driving. If a driver caused a serious crash or death while fiddling with a device, the penalties would mimic those for drunken driving.

According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, from 2013 through 2019, more than 91,000 distracted driving crashes occurred throughout the state of Ohio. This resulted in more than 47,000 injuries and 305 deaths.

State Rep. Cindy Abrams, from Harrison, is one of the co-authors of the legislation. She said something needs to be done to stymie the onrush of distracted driving crashes.

“A recent survey found that distracted driving is overwhelmingly the number one concern for Ohio drivers,” Abrams said. “The goal of this bill is to make our state a safer place to travel and reduce the amount of deaths and injuries on our roads.”

Abrams' legislation has won the support of the American Automobile Association (AAA). The group "applauded" the bill and urged the state to do more to curb distracted driving.

“AAA commends the legislature for taking steps to make Ohio’s roads safer by providing officers with the necessary tools to stop distracted driving crashes before they happen,” said Kimberly Schwind, senior manager, public affairs for AAA Ohio Auto Club. “While this is a huge step forward, drivers still need to remember that hands-free isn’t risk- free and all distractions should be eliminated from their vehicles.”

AAA also released a series of PSA's to make Ohioans more aware of the dangers of distracted driving.