One cell phone curb OK'd; another fails

Young drivers on Utah's highways won't have to worry about getting ticketed for chatting on their cell phones. But school bus drivers will.

And for motorists 19 and older, seat belts will still be optional.

Those are just two of the measures passed this legislative session aimed at highway safety.

Perhaps the most visible bill this session was SB71, by Sen. Karen Hale's, D-Salt Lake. The measure would have established a primary seatbelt law for drivers 19 and over but was killed by a 7-3 vote in the House Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Committee.

The bill's defeat was a blow for public safety on all fronts, AAA of Utah spokeswoman Rolaine Fairclough said.

"It's absolutely vitally important to have a primary seatbelt law. It's the one piece of legislation that's proven to save lives, and I'm sure we'll be carrying this again next year," she said.

GOP lawmakers voted along party lines in tabling HB258, a bill by Rep. Carol Moss, D-Holladay, that would have banned cell phone use for drivers 17 and under except in emergency situations.

However, legislators didn't feel the same way about bus drivers' cell phone privileges, passing HB190, sponsored by Rep. Neal Hendrickson, D-West Valley City. The bill levies a $100 fine for bus drivers caught talking on cell phones while operating their vehicles.

The highways and interstates weren't the only places where state leaders got involved. Children operating scooters were spared from doing so only with direct line of sight supervision from their parents. The House Transportation Standing Committee derailed HB208 by Rep. Brad Dee, R-Washington Terrace.

Rep. Bud Bowman's HB50 was voted through the House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee Jan. 30, but met its end on the House floor last week. The Cedar City Republican's measure would have set up an Automobile Crime Prevention Board to further combat vehicle theft in Utah but fell 10 votes short of advancing to the Senate for deliberation.

Motorcyclists will get their vehicles fully insured under SB77, which amends the New Motor Vehicles Warranties Act, sponsored by Sen. Patrice Arent, D-South Cottonwood.

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E-mail: abenson@desnews.com