From Deseret News archives:
Driver-safety bills get mixed treatment
Raise in speed limit fails; teen driving restrictions remain
It would be safe to say that safety advocates were a bit nervous this year. But as a whole, the session was a draw, said Rolayne Fairclough, spokeswoman for AAA of Utah.
Some safety-related bills passed. Many failed — including the attempt to raise the speed limit. SB17 was amended in the House to remove the increase and later passed in the Senate.
The bill had a separate provision allowing motorists to be ticketed for "careless driving," which was defined as driving a car while being distracted by things such as food, children, or tending to personal hygiene.
The bill allowing 6-year-olds to ride an OHV on public lands, HB237, was amended in the House to just allow children that age to compete in sanctioned racing events. Debate on the bill was expected late Wednesday.
HB82, which would have removed restrictions on teen drivers, did not receive a vote in the House.
Fairclough said the state did the right thing in not passing HB82. The measure would have repealed several graduated driving license laws approved in recent years, ranging from a prohibition on nighttime driving to not having teen passengers in the car.
"Now we have all the components and a very clear law," Fairclough said about Utah's graduated license law.
One bill that she and others favored was SB36, which failed in the House. It would have made not wearing a seat belt a primary offense.
Lawmakers have considered, but failed to approve, a primary seat belt law for at least four years. Current law only allows a person to be ticketed for a seat belt violation if they committed another violation first.
"It has gone further than it ever has before," Fairclough said about the seat-belt bill. "We were within a few votes."
Other bills that were considered, but failed to receive a vote, included a measure by Rep. Aaron Tilton, R-Springville, to require all teens to write a 10-page report about a highway accident before receiving their license. The bill, HB322, did not receive a vote late Wednesday.
Another bill would have forbidden teens from talking on a wireless telephone while driving, HB217, also did not get voted on.
E-mail: nwarburton@desnews.com
