Oklahoma House Panel OKs Ban on Texting While Driving

An Oklahoma House committee has passed a bill that would prohibit texting, emailing and instant messaging while driving a vehicle.

The House Public Safety Committee voted 8-4 Wednesday and sent the bill to the full House for a vote. It is among at least eight bills pending in the House and Senate that would restrict texting while driving, including two measures approved by a Senate panel last week.

The bill’s author, Rep. Terry O’Donnell of Tulsa, says the measure would help reduce the number of accidents caused by inattentive driving. O’Donnell says a driver is more likely to have an accident while texting than while being under the influence of alcohol.

Opponents argued that the measure is unnecessary because distracted driving is already illegal.