Area representatives oppose texting, support seat belts
Local representatives are standing firm in their views of safe driving, which means no texting while driving and a mandatory safety belt law.
HB34, the bill that prohibits writing a text message while driving, was recently passed by the House and the Senate and was signed into law by Governor Lynch on July 31st.
All our local representatives including: Ron Mack (D), Gil Shattuck (D), and Phil Harvey (D) of Hillsborough and Antrim; Catriona Beck (D) of Deering; Christine Hamm (D), Derek Owen (D), and Gary Richardson (D) of Hopkinton; and Barbara French (D) and Beth Rodd (D) of Henniker voted in favor of the bill. The only local representative who did not vote for HB34 was Claudia Chase (D) of Deering, who was not available for comment.
“It’s so obviously dangerous,” said Rep. Christine Hamm (D). “All studies have shown how dangerous it is.”
Rep. Derek Owen (D) stated that he sat beside the sponsor and was “all for it.”
The problem with this new law, which becomes effective on January 1, 2010, is that it is hard to enforce, a point brought up by Rep. Gary Richardson (D)of Hopkinton, but who still states that the bill is “good legislation.”
According to Rep. Gil Shattuck, the bill had a lot of testimony from both law enforcement and insurance companies about accidents that occur due to texting or using phones. His conclusion from both testimony and life experience is that “people just don’t pay attention [while using cell phones].”
Although HB34 only prohibits writing a text message and not the use of cell phones in their entirety, some representatives, such as Phil Harvey (D), are moving in that direction.
“I’d be opposed to do anything but driving, [people are] supposed to pull over and use their phone,” he says. Harvey, who practices what he preaches, says that he does not use his cell phone unless he stops his car.
Although HB34 was signed into law, HB383, the required safety belt bill, has not had the same success. It passed by a close margin in the House and was laid on the table of the Senate.
All of our local representatives voted for its passing.
Rep, Barbara French (D), says that “we have an obligation to take care of each other. People feel their civil rights are being interfered with. But what happens? They can have major injuries.”
Not only was HB383 a safety issue, but it was also a revenue issue, as, according to French, we lost federal money from the Senate not passing the bill.
Rep. Richardson posed another issue regarding funds. “When people don’t have insurance and end up with head injuries or trauma, we all pick up the cost.”
Many of the representatives stated this issue was not a matter of live free or die, it was a matter of common sense.
Harvey (D) challenges anyone who objects to wearing a seatbelt to visit the Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center and see what happens when there is a serious automobile injury. He states that the bill is “in the interest of the general public.”
One of the last states remaining without a mandatory safety belt law, Shattuck (D), states that “New Hampshire has to get in tune with the rest of the world.”
Shattuck, a self-proclaimed “poster-child” of safety belts, realized their importance when he was involved in an automobile accident while driving back from Hancock one day. Shattuck was wearing his safety belt and, although his vehicle was in bad shape, walked away from the accident. The other driver, who was not wearing his safety belt, was injured.
Although the bill did not pass this year, Harvey stated that he thinks it will be tried again next year.
“We’re trying to prevent the injuries that we can,” stated French.