2009 House Bill 4370 (Ban driving while using hand-held cell phone )

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Introduced by Rep. Gino Polidori (D) on February 19, 2009, to establish that no “points” would be attached to a persons drivers license for violating the ban proposed by House Bill 4369 on using a hand-held cell phone while driving.
- Referred to the House Transportation Committee on February 19, 2009.
  - Reported in the House on October 22, 2009, with the recommendation that the substitute (H-2) be adopted and that the bill then pass.
- Substitute offered in the House on December 8, 2009, to replace the previous version of the bill with one that revises details but does not change the substance of the bill as previously described. The substitute passed in the House by voice vote on December 8, 2009.
Passed in the House (105 to 2) on December 8, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
Received in the Senate on December 9, 2009.
- Referred to the Senate Transportation Committee on December 9, 2009.
  - Reported in the Senate on February 24, 2010, with the recommendation that the substitute (S-1) be adopted and that the bill then pass.
- Substitute offered in the Senate on March 18, 2010. The substitute passed in the Senate by voice vote on March 18, 2010.

Most Recent Comments

1) Re: 2009 House Bill 4370 (Ban driving while using hand-held cell phone ) [by FreeSpeaker on February 28, 2010]

[quote user="susanmercy"] Oh good grief, pretty soon we won't have any freedoms left at all. While we're banning cell phones, better also ban cigarette smoking, using a GPS device, eating/drinking, applying make-up, doing one's nails, shaving, and a whole host of other activities that people are routinely seen doing while driving and which can all cause distractions. [/quote]

If I am not mistaken, research in traffic safety shows that "distracted" driving creates as much extra hazard as drunk driving. Now, I could easily argue against banning either one if only the driver were impacted by a crash resulting from the distraction of playing with a cell phone (or other device) or drunkeness. But that isn't how it works out, unfortunately. Both wind up injuring and killing other people in way too many crashes resulting from their behavior. That makes the behaviors leigitimate public safety and welfare concerns.

Yes, this bill does represent further restriction of personal freedom. But such restrictions on individual behavior (freedom) are commonplace and time-honored when they are recognized as necessary to protect the interests and rights of other people. That is something to be remembered when discussion of bills like this one pops up.

[quote] I agree with the OP...more laws won't cure bad drivers. [/quote]

I certainly could not agree more with that statement. Unenforced, or poorly enforced traffic laws do little to protect public safety. Effectively written laws, effectively enforced are the key to making our roadways safer places.

Unfortunately, this bill lacks a tie-bar to companion legislation that would raise and allocate sufficient revenue to effectively implement and enforce it. (That would be fiscal conservatism in action.) Without such a companion bill, this legislation most likely is window dressing that mainly provides for punishment after the fact of a crash and does little if anything for prevention.

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2) Re: 2009 House Bill 4370 (Ban driving while using hand-held cell phone ) [by susanmercy on February 28, 2010]

Oh good grief, pretty soon we won't have any freedoms left at all. While we're banning cell phones, better also ban cigarette smoking, using a GPS device, eating/drinking, applying make-up, doing one's nails, shaving, and a whole host of other activities that people are routinely seen doing while driving and which can all cause distractions. I agree with the OP...more laws won't cure bad drivers.

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3) Re: 2009 House Bill 4370 (Ban driving while using hand-held cell phone ) [by lrsgt1 on December 13, 2009]

I strongly agree, there is way to many people that are driving while texting or talking on their cell phones. Why isn't our state government protecting us from the idiots on the road? Michigan needs to do the math and see how many people get injued or die due to this complete lack of respect for the road and how dangerous it can be when you are distracted from the road. Have any of you (powers that be) been behind a driver texting or on the cell phone and was angry because they can't keep their focus on the road? i myself have been scared for my life. Oh wait maybe you are the ones in front of me on the road.

leisha

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