Ohio lawmakers may crack down on distracted driving

Texting while driving, checking social media, talking on hand-held phones, fiddling with navigation apps are common − and dangerous − behaviors on Ohio roads. But police officers aren't allowed to pull adult drivers over just because they're messing with their phones.

Current law allows police to stop drivers age 17 and younger for texting while driving, but adults must commit another traffic violation first.

State Reps. Brian Lampton, R-Beavercreek, an insurance agent, and Cindy Abrams, R-Harrison, a former police officer, want to change that.

"We are going to save lives the minute this goes into effect," said Abrams of House Bill 283.

The bill is expected to gain approval in the Ohio House. And if the bill makes it to Gov. Mike DeWine, he'd sign it − he has repeatedly called for stronger laws.

Its chance of passage in the Ohio Senate is less clear. Senate President Matt Huffman, R-Lima, said current laws already address bad driving and he's not a fan of giving police more reasons to stop people. That said, Huffman is willing to give the bill a floor vote if others support it.

Any bill that doesn't get approval in both chambers by the end of December dies and must be re-introduced next legislative session.

Here is what the bill would do:

• make using a hand-held phone a primary offense for adults so officers can pull them over.
• allow for hands-free phone use and limit drivers to one-touch or one-swipe actions
• require law enforcement to report the race of those ticketed for distracted driving.
• provide for $150 fine or a distracted driving course on the first offense.
• increase fines to $250 for second offense and $500 for third offense within two years.

Nationally, about 3,000 people die in distracted driving-related crashes each year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol data show that since 2013 there were more than 100,000 distracted driving crashes, resulting in more than 47,000 injuries and more than 300 deaths.