The Brown & White

Pennsylvania's House of Representatives is considering a measure to ban the use of handheld devices while driving.

On Nov. 10, the House Transportation Committee unanimously voted in support of the bill, which mainly targets texting while driving.

Amendments to the bill, such as prohibiting drivers from talking on handheld cell phones, may be added later when it goes on the House floor.

While the bill is still in the House and needs the state Senate's approval to be incorporated into Pennsylvania law, many other states have already banned drivers from using their cell phones, and Pennsylvania may be next.

Chief of Police Edward Shupp declined to offer his own opinions on the matter, but said that cell phones are a distraction.

"Cell phones are a problem when people are driving," he said. "Just taking your eyes off the road for a second creates an unsafe atmosphere for everyone on the road."

Courtney Rice, '12, a resident of Pennsylvania, believes texting while driving is a problem.

"I would support this measure because I think it would make driving in Pennsylvania much safer," she said.

Many Lehigh students have experienced this kind of legislation being incorporated in their home states and have varying opinions on the prospect of Pennsylvania banning texting while driving.

Liz Thomas, '11, said driving while texting or talking in her home state of New Jersey is illegal.

"I rarely talk on the phone or text when I drive," she said. "I crashed my mom's brand new BMW a couple years ago while texting. Pennsylvania should ban texting and talking on the phone while driving because studies have shown texting and driving is more dangerous than drinking and driving."

Some students support this measure for safety reasons but still text while driving.

Rachel Kaplan, '12, is from Connecticut, where texting and talking on a cell phone is illegal while driving. She said she is guilty of talking, texting and driving.

"I talk on a speakerphone while driving at home and at Lehigh, and I also text sometimes, which is bad," she said. "I try not to. I think I would feel safer if a law was in place in Pennsylvania banning driving and texting because I know it's dangerous."

Some students said they would not feel safer with this kind of legislation in place.

"In California, texting and talking on the phone while driving is illegal," said California resident Stacey Middlebrook, '11, said. "I both text and talk on the phone while driving in both Pennsylvania and California. If Pennsylvania bans talking or texting while driving, I will probably still do both, such as I do when I'm in California," she said. "I won't feel any more safe because the people who get in accidents texting are the ones who are the worst drivers and will probably still get in accidents."

Danielle Spar, '10, had similar views.

"I talk on the phone and text while driving very frequently and would be annoyed if Pennsylvania bans this," she said. "I wouldn't really feel any safer."

Jill Froimson, '12, of Ohio said she would not feel safer with this law either.

"In Ohio, texting while driving is illegal," she said. "I am always texting, and this doesn't change behind the wheel of a car. I for some reason have convinced myself that I'm so good at texting that it's OK to do it while driving. I wouldn't really feel any safer if this law is put into effect."

There are also many students whose home states do not have any laws regarding phone or other handheld device usage while driving.

"Texting is not illegal in Wisconsin," Jess Gehl, '10, said. "I do talk and text while driving and am probably on the phone 70 percent of the time I'm driving and texting just occasionally at red lights or stuff. I understand a ban against texting while driving since it's extremely distracting," she said. "I almost hit a deer the other day when I was just driving and not looking down at my phone. Stuff like that happens easily. I would feel safer if texting was illegal while driving, but I don't know how effective it would be. I think a lot of people would still do it."

Libby Allyn,'11, of Wyoming shared the same sentiment.

"In Wyoming," she said, "texting and talking on the phone while driving is still legal. I'm afraid to get in an accident, so I try not to talk on the phone and never text while driving. I think it is a good idea to ban both," Allyn said. "Nothing good comes out of texting or talking while driving because they're extremely distracting. In every case it is best to focus only on driving, and getting rid of all other distractions would decrease the number of fatal accidents.

"Even if Pennsylvania made laws banning texting and talking, people would still do it, but it would probably make the roads a bit safer overall," Allyn said.