Top pol backs hands-free phone law

A hands-free cellphone bill stiffening penalties for texting while driving is “a good step” toward making Bay State roadways safer, especially amid spiking infractions, a top Beacon Hill lawmaker says.

“It’s an issue that’s getting a lot of attention,” said state Rep. Carolyn Dykema, the vice chairman of the Joint Transportation Committee, which sent the bill to the House where it awaits a vote.

The Herald reported yesterday that texting while driving citations have more than doubled in the past four years to nearly 8,600 in 2016, and improper mobile device use also has sharply increased.

Under the proposed law, drivers could face a $100 fine and up to $500 for repeat offenses if caught handling their phones behind the wheel. The third offense would be surchargeable.

“When you look at the statistics on highway fatalities related to distracted driving and when you hear personal stories about tragedies, it’s pretty clear to me that more has to be done than we are doing today,” Dykema said.

That means simply mandating hands-free technology is not enough, she said.

“I’d like to go further and do more with requirements around technology that would prohibit use of specific surfing and texting features while driving,” she said. “But the hands-free piece is a good step forward.”