Statement from Sen. Ron Sharp on distracted driver bills

Sen. Sharp was the principal Senate author of Senate Bill 442, which would have made it illegal to text and drive.  The bill was not heard in the Senate Public Safety Committee.  He also was a Senate coauthor of SB 1601 making it illegal for anyone operating a motor vehicle to use a wireless communication device in a school zone.  The bill would not have applied to stopped cars, drivers using hands-free devices, or emergency calls as outlined in the bill. The measure did not receive a hearing in the House Public Safety Committee and, along with SB 442, will not be able to move forward this legislative session. 

“I was disappointed that my texting and driving bill didn’t make it through the legislative process yet again.  There were concerns from my Senate colleagues about privacy, specifically law enforcement confiscating private citizens’ phones, as well as worries over how the law would be enforced.  I had talked to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and law enforcement officials at the city and county levels, and they had all expressed their support of my bill and had assured me that enforcing the law would be no problem. 

“Next year, I’m going to reintroduce the distracted driver bill but broaden it so that the primary offense not only applies to cell phone usage while driving but also putting on makeup, eating and any other actions that could cause a distraction behind the wheel.  Perhaps by broadening the bill, I can garner more support.  Oklahomans need to start taking this issue seriously.  Last year, approximately 2,000 Oklahomans were involved in crashes caused by distracted drivers.  More than 700 of those individuals sustained injuries and ten were killed.  We’ve got to strengthen our laws to encourage drivers to keep their eyes and minds on the road.”