PRINTER'S NO. 1299
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
221
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY B. MILLER, BIZZARRO, PICKETT, FREEMAN, BURNS,
TOOHIL, CALTAGIRONE, J. HARRIS, SONNEY, DUSH, MURT, KINSEY,
SCHLOSSBERG, BAKER, DAVIS, MACKENZIE, STAATS, FEE, MILLARD,
MENTZER, GREINER, W. KELLER, V. BROWN, RAPP, READSHAW,
KAUFFMAN, PASHINSKI, SCHWEYER, FITZGERALD, D. COSTA, WARD,
DiGIROLAMO, WHEELAND, MARSICO, HILL-EVANS, ZIMMERMAN,
STEPHENS, HAGGERTY, BOBACK, NEILSON, SCHEMEL, RADER, WARNER,
HICKERNELL, KAVULICH, McCLINTON, KORTZ, MUSTIO, WATSON,
R. BROWN, TAYLOR, CUTLER, M. QUINN, WARREN, MEHAFFIE,
SCHLEGEL CULVER, PHILLIPS-HILL AND JOZWIAK, APRIL 10, 2017
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
APRIL 10, 2017
A RESOLUTION
Designating April 27, 2017, as "Don't Text and Drive Day" in
Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, Texting while driving poses a significant risk to
drivers, passengers and all individuals sharing the road; and
WHEREAS, Studies show that texting simultaneously while
driving involves manual, visual and mental distraction and is
among the worst of all driver distractions; and
WHEREAS, The General Assembly has undertaken efforts to
reduce texting while driving, including the enactment of Act 98
of 2011, which prohibits drivers from operating a motor vehicle
on a highway or traffic way in this Commonwealth while using an
interactive wireless communications device to send, read or
write a text-based communication while driving a vehicle; and
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WHEREAS, Act 85 of 2014 prohibits drivers from engaging in
texting while operating a commercial motor vehicle or motor
carrier vehicle; and
WHEREAS, Act 165 of 2016 increases the penalty for the
offense of homicide by vehicle and for the offense of aggravated
assault by vehicle while using text-based communication; and
WHEREAS, The evidence and research show that the dangers of
texting while driving continue to mount and support the actions
of the General Assembly; and
WHEREAS, Sending or receiving a text takes a driver's
attention away from the road for approximately 4.5 seconds, the
equivalent, at more than 50 miles per hour, of driving the
length of a football field sightless; and
WHEREAS, According to the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, text messaging creates a crash risk 23 times
greater than driving while not distracted; and
WHEREAS, The National Safety Council estimates more than
341,000, or 6%, of all crashes in 2013 involved an accident
while the driver was text messaging; and
WHEREAS, The 2014 study conducted by the United States
Department of Transportation notes that, at any given moment
during daylight hours, more than 587,000 vehicles were being
driven by someone using a handheld cell phone; and
WHEREAS, According to the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, the percentage of drivers text messaging or
visibly manipulating handheld devices increased from more than
1.5% in 2013 to more than 2% in 2015; and
WHEREAS, According to a University of Michigan Transportation
Research Institute study, approximately 25% of teenagers respond
to and 30% read a text message at least once every time they
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drive and 20% of teenagers and 10% of parents admitted to having
an extended multi-message texting conversation while driving;
and
WHEREAS, Between 2012 and 2014 according to the
Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts, there were more
than 5,500 citations for distracted driving violations in this
Commonwealth, with approximately 4,000 of those violations
specific to texting; and
WHEREAS, Between 2012 and 2014 according to the Department of
Transportation's Pennsylvania Crash Facts & Statistics, there
were a total of 42,969 crashes in this Commonwealth involving
distracted driving, with 161 of those crashes resulting in
fatalities; and
WHEREAS, The evidence makes it clear that texting while
driving is extremely prevalent and increases the potential
danger on our roadways, causes great damage to property and
destroys lives and livelihoods of crash victims, all of which is
preventable; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate April
27, 2017 as "Don't Text and Drive Day" in Pennsylvania,
appealing to individuals, government agencies, business leaders,
hospitals, schools and public and private institutions within
this Commonwealth to promote awareness of the dangers of texting
while driving and to support programs and policies that reduce
the incidence of texting while driving in this Commonwealth and
nationwide; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge all
residents of this Commonwealth to be considerate of the lives
and property of others by refraining from texting while driving;
and be it further
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge law
enforcement across this Commonwealth to continue to enforce
Pennsylvania's texting and driving laws with diligence.
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