PRINTER'S NO. 3178
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
763
Session of
2018
INTRODUCED BY B. MILLER, BAKER, GREINER, FEE, DEAN, PICKETT,
STEPHENS, BIZZARRO, SONNEY, DUSH, BURNS, HAGGERTY,
SCHLOSSBERG, KINSEY, KULIK, DRISCOLL, HENNESSEY, READSHAW,
PASHINSKI, WATSON, RYAN, MARKOSEK, MENTZER, DiGIROLAMO,
TOOHIL, NEILSON, HICKERNELL, MILLARD, MURT, MACKENZIE,
SAYLOR, MARSICO, EVERETT, D. COSTA, ROEBUCK, ZIMMERMAN,
SCHWEYER, WARNER, J. McNEILL, WARD, HILL-EVANS, BRADFORD,
SCHLEGEL CULVER, ROZZI, HELM, WARREN, P. COSTA, RADER,
DONATUCCI, DAVIS, HEFFLEY, PHILLIPS-HILL, BOBACK, McCLINTON,
CUTLER, M. QUINN, JAMES, DAY, KORTZ, KAUFFMAN AND MUSTIO,
MARCH 15, 2018
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
MARCH 15, 2018
A RESOLUTION
Designating April 27, 2018, as "Don't Text and Drive Day" in
Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, Texting while driving poses a significant risk to
drivers, passengers and individuals sharing the road; and
WHEREAS, Studies show that texting while simultaneously
driving involves manual, visual and mental distraction and is
among the worst driver distractions, resulting in accidents,
damage to persons and damage to property; 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 trafficway in this Commonwealth while using an
interactive wireless communications device to send, read or
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write a text-based communication while driving a vehicle; and
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 penalties 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 mounting
dangers of texting while driving continue to validate the
actions of the General Assembly; and
WHEREAS, Sending or receiving a text takes a driver's
attention away from the road for approximately 4.6 seconds,
which while traveling at 55 miles per hour is the equivalent of
driving the length of an entire 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 that cell
phone-related vehicle accidents account for 26% of all crashes
and 6% of all crashes are texting related; and
WHEREAS, The 2015 study conducted by the United States
Department of Transportation notes that, at any given moment
during daylight hours, more than 660,000 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 1.7% in
2013 to 2.2% in 2015; and
WHEREAS, According to a University of Michigan Transportation
Research Institute study, approximately 25% of teenagers respond
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to a text message at least once every time they drive, and an
additional 20% of teenagers and 10% of parents admitted to
having an extended multimessage texting conversation while
driving; and
WHEREAS, Between 2012, 2013 and 2014, according to the
Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts, there were 5,692
distracted driving violations cited in Pennsylvania, with
approximately 3,940 of those violations specific to texting; and
WHEREAS, Between 2012 and 2016, according to the Department
of Transportation's PA Crash Facts & Statistics, there were a
total of 73,810 crashes in this Commonwealth involving
distracted driving with 283 of those crashes resulting in
fatalities; and
WHEREAS, The evidence makes 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 through injuries and death of crash victims;
therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate April
27, 2018, as "Don't Text and Drive Day" in Pennsylvania,
appealing to all 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 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 the enforcement
of texting while driving laws with diligence.
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