FILE: A motorist looks at his cellphone while waiting at a stoplight in Sandy on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020. House Minority Whip Carol Spackman Moss, D-Holladay, has introduced HB101, which would make holding a phone while driving a primary offense. (Laura Seitz, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — State lawmaker Carol Spackman Moss wants to ban more than just texting while driving with a cell phone.
Rep. Moss, D-Holladay, says she’s trying, again, to crack down on driving with your phone in your hand.
Right now in Utah, drivers can be pulled over for texting or manipulating their phones. But that doesn’t include holding their phone to their ear.
In other words, talking on the phone is not a crime in Utah. But texting is.
Moss has tried four times in recent years to pass similar bills about cell phone and driving safety.
Her latest attempt would make holding a phone while driving a primary offense, meaning a driver could be pulled over if seen holding their phone.
Moss says she’s seen and heard countless stories of accidents and even deaths from distracted driving. She likened her proposal to mandatory seatbelt laws, saying good laws that are backed by enforcement and education are the best way to change behavior.