“The mayor is asking us to think about things that we can do to help make our citizens safer,” Councilman Tom Gore said Tuesday, “and is there a role, maybe, for some sort of ordinance that would deal with all distractions.”
Councilman Willie Edmondson named numerous distractions that drivers see on the road every day, including eating, dialing a phone, changing the radio, putting on makeup or texting.
“If we could just make sure that we go above and beyond to educate the public on these statistics that we got that show the increased danger,” Councilwoman Norma Tucker said.
The anti-texting proposal was drafted by Mayor Jeff Lukken and Public Safety Director Lou Dekmar due to 2,600 traffic fatalities nationally reported in 2005 linked to texting.
At a Sept. 9 meeting, some residents said the ordinance would lead to racial, gender or age-based profiling by police or violations of Fourth Amendment rights by having drivers hand their phones to officers to check for recent text-based activity.
Edmondson was given a stack of 40 to 50 local petition signatures and letters he showed to council, arguring that the ordinance shouldn’t be in place at all.
“I know we’ve all had discussion with the mayor, and we all understand the spirit, and he’s trying to improve things for our citizens,” Gore said. “We want to listen to that, and we want to see if we can make that situation better - but we want it to be fair. We want it to be more broad, maybe, than one single activity.”
In the meantime, Edmondson challenged residents to be cautious in their driving.
“We all have cell phones,” he said. “It’s so easy to try to dial and all this kind of stuff, so just be very cautious in using your cell phones and any other things in your car.”
The group would like to revisit the ordinance once more information has been gathered on the dangers of texting and driving. Gore also asked city attorney Jeff Todd to look for any local or area laws that correspond with distraction-caused accidents.
Those discussion dates haven’t been set, neither was a new date for the ordinances second reading.
In another matter Tuesday, council approved safety modifications to the Polk and Lindsey Street areas to curb fast driving.
A traffic study completed on the road by police showed need for street lights and increased signage on Polk Street, but no speed hump installation. Council, however, felt a speed hump was necessary.
“Install additional streetlights in the area, install ‘Children at Play’ signs along Polk Street, install a speed hump along Polk Street,” Gore’s committee decision read.
Council agreed that placing the hump near the middle of Polk Street close to a hill in the road would be the best spot.
Trey Wood can be reached at twood@lagrangenews. com or (706) 884-7311, Ext. 228.
We have laws against reckless driving. If someone is putting on their makeup, texting or doing anything else while driving that distracts them so they are driving in an unsafe manner the authorities have a right and obligation to address it. We don't need more laws...just enforce the ones we have.