honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, January 28, 2003

DRIVE TIME
Cell-phone ban among proposed bills affecting drivers

By Mike Leidemann
Advertiser Transportation Writer

A number of driver-related bills are moving along at the Legislature. They include proposals to limit the use of hand-held cell phones while driving, confiscate the cars of people with multiple drunken-driving convictions and increase the use of child safety and booster seats in vehicles.

Here's an update:

• The House Transportation Committee yesterday heard a number of people testify for and against the proposed cell-phone limitations.

Committee chairman Joe Souki admitted he's often guilty of talking on the cell phone while driving, to the point of distraction. "You're engrossed in what you're saying, and only later you realize you weren't paying attention to the road."

Commuting

Information to help you get around O'ahu:

• TheBus: For schedules and other information, call 848-5555 or visit www.thebus.org.

• Vanpool Hawai'i: 596-8267

• Trafficam: Check out traffic conditions at more than 20 major intersections around Honolulu.

• Road work:

Others said there is no conclusive evidence that cell-phone use contributes to a higher accident rate.

The bill would make it illegal for a driver to hold a cellular phone near the ear while a vehicle is in motion. Exceptions would be made for emergency calls, police officers, firefighters and other emergency medical service workers, and for hands-free cellular phones. Transportation industry officials also asked for an exemption for commercial drivers.

Although existing laws ban distracted driving behavior such as eating or applying makeup, they are hard to enforce, officials said. The new bill would set a much easier enforcement standard, Souki said.

A decision on the bill was deferred to consider some technical changes.

• A proposal to allow forfeiture of a vehicle for people convicted of multiple drunken-driving offenses moved forward. It was supported by Mothers Against Drunk Driving, which said it was one of the best ways to keep repeat offenders off the road.

Police and the public defender's office opposed the bill. Police said they have no resources to store forfeited vehicles, and recommended that officials confiscate license plates and registrations instead. The public defender's office said the law would impact unfairly poor or rural residents who have no other means of shopping or getting to work.

"Maybe they should have thought about that before they got behind the wheel drunk," Souki said.

• The House Transportation Committee also approved a bill that would require children younger than 4 to be in a child-restraint system, and most children from 4 to 8 to be in child safety or booster seats.

Proponents said the older children are a "gap group," too big for the average child-restraint system, but too small to use seat belts or safety harnesses properly.

Mike Leidemann's Drive Time column runs Tuesdays. Reach him at 525-5460 or mleidemann@honoluluadvertiser.com.