Teens may start paying a price for chatting on their cell phones while driving.

HB217, which would make it illegal for drivers under 18 year old to call or text message while operating a car, made it out of the House Transportation Committee on Tuesday by vote of 9-5.

Under the proposed law teens would be fined $25 or more for cell phone use, and the infraction would add insurance points to their driving records.

"This is an important issue," said the bill's sponsor, Rep. Kory Holdaway, R-Taylorsville, who explained that he decided to craft the legislation after a driver's education teacher complained to him about students using phones instead of paying attention to the road.

"This is a safety issue," Holdaway said. He added that the bill would protect not just young drivers but also other travelers who share the road with them.

Holdaway referenced a University of Utah study that concluded that using a cell phone while driving was just as dangerous as driving while intoxicated.

In its original form, HB217 would have been a primary offense, one that allowed police officers to pull over minors for driving while using their phones. But an amendment to the bill by Rep. Ben Ferry, R-Corinne, changed it to a secondary offense, meaning that teen drivers will first have to be pulled over for another offense.

"In my mind there's going to be some people who are pulled over who are over 18," Ferry said.

Some on the committee had other reservations about the bill. Rep. Chris Herrod, R-Provo, said he thought that hands-free phones shouldn't be prohibited. "It's no more dangerous than having a passenger," Herrod said.

He also wanted to know if this was going to be a first step toward banning cell phone use among all drivers. Holdaway insisted it wasn't.

The bill has the backing of the Utah Highway Patrol, AAA and others.

"Teenagers are specifically prone to distraction," said Rolayne Fairclough of the Utah AAA. "Cell phones are indeed a major distraction."

Debi Tabor, of the Utah PTA, said the bill is a welcome addition to the graduated driver's license legislation passed during the 2006 session.

Legrand Bitter, a lobbyist with the Utah Association of Special Districts, said he liked the bill although he wanted an amendment that allowed minors to use cells phone and drive if it was work related.

The bill is now on its way to the House for floor debate.

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