Liz Kirchner
Like many civic organizations throughout the state this winter, the New River Valley Bicycling Association, a group of about 300 local cyclists, are participating in the legislation of Virginia law during the 2019 General Assembly. By banding together they are supporting a house bill and its companion senate bill that aim to reduce cell phone use and the distracted driving that goes with it.
In a 14-3 vote, with amendments, the bill heads to the full House this week.
As the House bill reads, the law, “expands the prohibition on using a handheld personal communications device while operating a motor vehicle to all uses unless the device is specifically designed to allow hands-free and voice operation and the device is being used in that manner.”
Currently, Virginia law only prohibits reading and typing email or texts.
The NRVBA Programs Coordinator Jen Million is pleased, but not surprised to see the legislation moving forward.
“I am from West Virginia,” she said in an email, “and WV has had hands-free laws in place since 2013. Within the first year of implementation, the hands-free law was credited with an 18 percent decrease in roadway fatalities.”
The association doesn’t have an official statement, but Million holds that “it just makes sense that we ensure a person’s focus is entirely on the road when operating a 4,000lb machine, for the safety of everyone on the road, and the drivers themselves.”
Nine people are killed and more than 1,000 injured in crashes involving a distracted driver according to the CDC and six states where cell use is banned see many fewer distracted driving incidents.
The NRVBA effort provides bikers link to the General Assembly website’s “Who’s my Legislator” tool and advice about how to structure a brief, polite email to a cyclist’s state delegate and senator.
“Identify yourself as a cyclist in the region, express your concern about distracted drivers,” the association email said explaining how to ask the delegate to support the House bill (1811) and the Senator to support the senate bill (1341), signing the letter with the biker’s name and address.
NRVBA member Iaian Clellan sent his letters with the added motivation of having been hit by a distracted driver in an accident on Route 11 “in clear weather and very light traffic” that dragged him across the asphalt and ground off part of his ear leaving him knocked unconscious and life-flighted to ER in Roanoke.
“A growing menace–and, yes, that includes bicyclists when they are behind the wheel,” Clelland wrote in an email.
While cellphones aren’t the only form of distracted driving, these devices are the most common distraction.3 From texting and talking to navigation and music, using your cellphone while driving your car is seriously dangerous.
He was hit from behind by side of car and the mirror.
“Most of my injuries which would have been far worse if he had hit me full on. I was very lucky,” he wrote.
The crash report indicated the driver was distracted, he said, but no ticket was issued.
While Clelland doesn’t expect passage of these bills to eliminate the problem, he thinks they will create awareness and reduce the accident rate.
Beginning on Feb. 6, House bills will crossover to the Senate to determine the final law.
To learn more about New River Valley Bicycling Association, visit www.nrvbike.com
To learn more about the Virginia General Assembly, visit www.virginiageneralassembly.gov
