WASHINGTON-Legislation moving forward in the Massachusetts legislature would require drivers to have hands-free wireless devices, while banning novice drivers from having any wireless conversations while behind the wheel.
The bill, approved yesterday by the Joint Public Safety Committee, is now headed to the House floor.
Rep. Peter Koutoujian (D-Newton), the lead sponsor of the bill, said he got the idea for the legislation after visiting South Africa on a political leadership exchange and seeing the positive impact that the ban there had on driver safety.
“I’ve tried to lead by example in my personal life,” said Koutoujian. “I use a hands-free system when I drive.” Citing recent media reports of deaths-including one in Waltham, Mass.-due to cell-phone use while driving, Koutoujian said he is pleased to see the measure advance in the state legislature. “We do not want tragedies like this to happen.”
Two weeks ago, the National Transportation Safety Board recommended that inexperienced drivers not be allowed to use cell phones-handheld or hands-free-but stopped short of recommending statewide bans on handheld cell-phone use by drivers now contemplated by Massachusetts, California and others. New York is the only state that has such a law, which went into effect in 2001.
