Bill Text: TX HR1685 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Recognizing April 2022 as Distracted Driving Awareness Month in Texas.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2021-06-03 - Reported enrolled [HR1685 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HR1685-Enrolled.html
H.R. No. 1685 |
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WHEREAS, Every April, the National Safety Council promotes | ||
Distracted Driving Awareness Month to highlight a major cause of | ||
automobile accidents; and | ||
WHEREAS, Last year, nearly one in five crashes in Texas were | ||
caused by a distracted driver; in these crashes, 364 people lost | ||
their lives and 2,200 were seriously injured, according to the | ||
Texas Department of Transportation; in 2019, more than 97,000 | ||
distracted driving crashes were recorded across the state; | ||
nationally, distracted driving causes about eight fatalities every | ||
day; and | ||
WHEREAS, Anything that diverts the driver's attention can | ||
lead to an accident, from eating and drinking to interacting with | ||
passengers, adjusting the navigation, and talking on a cell phone; | ||
looking away from the road for just two seconds doubles the risk of | ||
a crash, and reading a text for five seconds while traveling at 55 | ||
mph is comparable to driving the length of a football field | ||
blindfolded; since September 1, 2017, it has been illegal to read, | ||
write, or send a text while driving in Texas because of its | ||
consequential effects; and | ||
WHEREAS, While most people recognize when they are visually | ||
or manually distracted and try to limit those activities, they | ||
often do not realize when they are cognitively distracted; | ||
hands-free devices and voice command systems engage drivers | ||
mentally with interactive tasks, and although hands-free options | ||
may be marginally safer than handheld devices, eliminating the use | ||
of cell phones and in-vehicle infotainment systems improves safety; | ||
and | ||
WHEREAS, Distracted driving crashes are 100 percent | ||
preventable; a small activity can lead to devastating consequences | ||
when it takes attention away from the road, and the monthlong | ||
observance in April reminds motorists to make driving their primary | ||
focus and leave other cognitively demanding tasks until they are | ||
safely parked; now, therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas | ||
Legislature hereby recognize April 2022 as Distracted Driving | ||
Awareness Month in Texas and encourage residents of the Lone Star | ||
State to affirm their commitment to helping make our roadways safer | ||
for all. | ||
Price | ||
______________________________ | ||
Speaker of the House | ||
I certify that H.R. No. 1685 was adopted by the House on May | ||
29, 2021, by a non-record vote. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||