Pa. repeats failing grade on highway safety

OFF THE WIRE
http://www.yorkdispatch.com/news/ci_17250900


Pa. repeats failing grade on highway safety

AMANDA DOLASINSKI
The York Dispatch Updated: 01/31/2011
For the second year in a row, Pennsylvania received a failing grade in a highway safety survey.

State Rep. Eugene DePasquale, D-York City, said he isn't surprised. He's been fighting for stricter distracted driving laws since 2007.

He introduced legislation to ban texting while driving. The House passed the legislation last session; it wasn't passed in the state Senate.

"It's disappointing, but it's also part of being an elected

official," DePasquale said.

"You can't let the setback get

you down. You have to keep fighting."

Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, a national coalition, gave Pennsylvania a red light ranking this year. It's the lowest of three rankings and signals a dangerous deficit of safety laws, the organization says.

Missing: Officials said Pennsylvania lacks a primary enforcement seat belt law, all-rider motorcycle helmet law, only 3.5 of 7 teen driving provisions it advocates, an ignition interlock law for all offenders, mandatory BAC testing for drivers who survive a crash and an all-driver text messaging restriction.

Only six other states earned failing rankings: South Dakota, Arizona, North Dakota, Virginia, Nebraska and Ohio. Vermont and Wyoming upgraded from red to yellow this year.

A yellow ranking suggests improvement is needed, and green represents good legislation. Fifteen states earned green rankings this year, according to the group's report.

State lawmakers tried to pass a bill aimed at teen driving last year, including restricting the number of unrelated passengers a junior driver could have and making cell phone usage a secondary offense. The bill, however, was watered down and died at the end of session.

DePasquale said enacting a distracted driving law would help the state improve its safety rating. Pennsylvania is one of 12 states that allow drivers to send text messages from behind the wheel, he said.

"I don't think anybody should be allowed to text while driving," he said.

The distracted driving legislation was re-introduced last week, DePasquale said.

Education: Rep. Seth Grove, R-Dover Township, said there is room for improvement, but Pennsylvania has exceptional traffic education. He cited safety campaigns, such as Click It or Ticket, and free motorcycle safety classes.

"I think educationally we're very good," he said. "We increased the amount of hours for junior drivers to give them more road time. We have a very active motorcycle safety course."

In fact, Grove said he has been working with ABATE -- American Bikers Aimed Toward Education -- to draft new motorcycle safety legislation. He said he is hopeful it will be introduced this session.

Tragedy: Marlene Case, who became a highway safety activist after her 17-year-old son was killed in a 2009 crash, spoke to safety advocates at a news conference last week.

She described the tragedy of losing her son, who piled into an SUV with five friends. The vehicle's driver had had a license for only three weeks. Case's son and another boy died in the crash, while the other four suffered serious injuries.

"We know that at ages 16 and 17, teens just don't understand the consequences of reckless behavior," she said. "We want parents to hear our story and to join with us to urge lawmakers in Pennsylvania and other states to pass strong laws that limit the number of teen passengers with new drivers, strengthen seatbelt rules and outlaw use of cell phones."

Advocates for Highway and Auto safety is a coalition of insurance companies and consumer, medical and safety agencies. It said it based its analysis on whether states had enacted 15 life-saving laws, such as restrictions on handheld cell phones and teenage drivers, and requirements for motorcycle helmets, seat belts and booster seats.