Cell phone bill given new look

Friday, March 23, 2001 | 10:46 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Sen. Terry Care, D-Las Vegas, is changing the direction of his bill that would punish motorists involved in an accident while using a cell phone.

Care said Senate Bill 214 was an "attempt to call attention to the problem and to have people think twice before they use the cell phone while driving or they would suffer the consequences."

The senator said he will now model his bill after ordinances in Las Vegas and Henderson. The ordinances allow a traffic citation to be issued to motorists who fail to pay attention while driving if they are involved in an accident.

Cell phone industry officials initially opposed the bill but now support the amended version. The bill was also endorsed by law enforcement.

Helen Foley, a lobbyist for a new cell phone company in Nevada, Voice Stream, admitted to the committee she rear-ended another vehicle in Clark County while she was dialing her cell phone. She said she then stuffed her cell phone in the glove box so the police officer would not see it. She still was found at fault.

She and others told the committee that numerous distractions can lead to accidents, and the new approach by Care will handle that problem.

According to the original bill, in a civil suit to recover damages the driver was presumed to be at fault if it could be proved he or she was using the hand-held device at the time of the accident.

"This use of a hand-held cell phone while driving is an irresponsible act. You are only inviting disaster, " Care said today before the Senate Judiciary Committee opened hearings on his original bill.

"I will agree that the same thing happens if you are drinking a cup of coffee or trying to eat while driving," he said. "Those are equally responsible."

He estimated 80 million to 105 million people use cell phones. In the legislative building most lobbyists carry cell phones. Care quipped that he is probably one of only three of the 63 legislators who doesn't have a cell phone.