Rhode Island one step closer to banning hand-held devices
By Bianca Buono
@BBuonoABC6
Drivers in Rhode Island may have to put down their phones for good. Once again, state senators have voted to ban all hand-held cell phone use while driving.
Now it’s in the House where the proposal has died in past years.
"I use my phone a lot when I drive but I can understand it’s for safe purposes,” said Jeremy Gately of Rhode Island.
"The level of distractions behind the wheel are just getting greater and greater,” said David Raposa of AAA Northeast.
David Raposa of AAA Northeast is one of the bill’s biggest supporters and says this could help crack down on the already illegal texting and driving.
"Right now if an officer were to look at somebody and they had the phone like this and they thought you were texting, well what if they’re just making a phone call,” Raposa said.
The bill still has to pass the House, but if it does become a law, getting caught would cost you $100. A first-time offender could get out of it if they show proof that they bought a hands-free device. The only exception is using your phone for an emergency situation like calling the police.
"Maybe a quarter of the crashes involve some level of distraction including cell phones and it’s probably getting worse,” said Raposa.
A similar bill failed in the House last year, but Raposa says he’s optimistic this time around because there’s a lot more attention being paid to distracted driving.
If the bill does pass, it will go into effect next summer.
© WLNE-TV 2016
