Myrtle Beach, SC -
By Evan Lambert - bio | email
MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) - As Obama administration officials plan to punish states that don't take a legal stand on distracted driving, Sen. Luke Rankin, (R)-Horry County, says he and other lawmakers will work to get a law banning cell phone usage on the books next year.
A law concerning the issue died in the Senate last year when lawmakers couldn't reach a consensus on what kind of punishment to enact or what specific actions to ban.
Officials in Washington are discussing penalties for states that don't act to curb cell phone usage while behind the wheel. It could mean a reduction in federal funds for roads for states like South Carolina, which have no law concerning the matter.
"Our state is lacking in roads statewide. We need resurfacing," said Rankin. Money that goes toward infrastructure in South Carolina could be cut by 25-percent.
Rankin says he'd be surprised if a law restricting cell phone usage wouldn't pass in the upcoming legislative session.
"Perhaps not exactly the way I want it, but there'll be some statewide statement precluding the unfettered use of a cell phone."
That's good news for Mike Doneff, who's been teaching people how to drive for more than 20 years. He owns Safe Driving School in Myrtle Beach.
Doneff says he's had to recently update his curriculum to include the dangers of distracted driving.
"They act like it's part of driving. They're stuck to their ear. They want to show everybody they're social. Some of the texts I've seen and I have a stepson and they're not that important," he said.
He shows a video in class to show students how quickly they could become a victim of a tragedy if driving and talking or texting.
"It's very graphic, but very moving. The kids that have seen it some of them say they will never text when they drive. I just wish the state government would go ahead and pass something."
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