Keep talking and driving in Louisiana

From Lou Burnett of Fax-Net News:

Although it’s dangerous, Louisianians who are addicted to talking on their cell phones while driving can keep on keeping on.  The bill that would have made using a hand-held device while driving a primary offense has died in the state Senate.

It passed the House of Representatives with flying colors, but two senators of the Senate Transportation Committee voted against the measure.  Only one other member of the committee was present, who voted for the bill.

State Sen. Robert Adley, R-Bossier City, is chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee and Sen. Sherri Smith Buffington, R-Shreveport, is vice chairman, but it is not known if they were present or if they voted.

State Rep. Austin Badon, D-New Orleans, pleaded for passage of his bill.  “We see it every single day, drivers swerving in their lanes, stopping at green lights, running red lights, driving below the speed limit,” he told the Senate committee.     And he asked that Louisiana be the 11th state to make using a hand-held cell phone a primary offense.

His words fell on deaf ears.  “The will of the committee has been not to push this forward, and it’s unfortunate because it’s probably going to take a catastrophic accident or fatality by somebody close to a legislative member,” Badon said.

Louisiana already has a ban on texting while driving.