Business reaction mixed as cell phone-driving bill fails - Phoenix Business Journal:

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The Arizona Senate shot down Senate Bill1433 Monday. The bill woulf have prohibited cell phone calls withouta hands-free devic and all texting. The bill failedf 15-to-14. Violations would have carried a $50 $200 if the incident resulted in an California and several other state havesuch bans. The city of Phoenic has a ban on textingwhil driving. Arizona’s proposal, which likely will come back next year in the would have exempted emergency workers and emergency calls. Critics of the bill cited civil libertiesd and government restrictionson behavior. They also pointexd out that the state alreadyh has reckless and negligentdriving laws. “Ther legislature got it right withthis one.
Every city in Arizon already has distracted driver laws on the Ifthose aren’t doing the job, they can be beefer up, but there’s just no need to pile on redundanr laws,” said Starlee Rhoades, vice president of communication for the . The ban would have impactes scores of businesspeople and commuters who make cell callswhilw driving. Salespeople, medical and legal professionals, repairmen, contractors and the news media all are among those who use thei commutes or driving betweehn appointmentsfor communication. Still, some local businesspeople support the ban citing trafficdsafety issues.
“I think a ban on talking on your cell phon while driving is necessaryin Phoenix,” said Laurel Pea, marketingv manager at accounting firm Grant Thornton’s Phoenix “While it may be a bit less I think it would make Phoenix highways a lot safeer and it would make our commutes a little less I also think therre should be a ban on texting while driving. When I see someonde texting while driving, I just let them pass me. It’ds really scary how little attention some drivers pay to the roadwhen they’res texting.
” Barbara Madden, an executive assistant with Phoenisx financial planning firm of Keats, Connellu and Associates LLC, agrees: “Althougg I like to catch up on my calls whilwe driving, and consider myself responsible and alert even whilw using my cell, I think it’s time to amenx the law. I see a lot of erratic driving by people with cell phones to theidears — people probably say that abouyt me at times, too I can’t deny the fact that it’zs a distraction while driving.” State Sen. Al R-Tucson, was the bill’s main sponsot and told KJZZ AM 91.5 that he wouldd like to bring a similae bill back to the Legislaturenext year.
Police have linked some accidentz and reckless driving to driversa talking on their cell phonesand