S.C. may put teen drivers’ cell phones on hold

A South Carolina legislator says he will file a bill before the end of the year to ban drivers under age 18 from using a cell phone while driving.

Rep. Lanny Littlejohn says he wanted to extend the ban in his bill to all drivers, but said he got stiff opposition from communications companies.

“These cell phones are unreal,” said Littlejohn, R-Pacolet, who introduced a similar bill that died last session.

Sen. Larry Martin has asked the Public Safety Department for statistics that link cell phone use to automobile accidents. But instead of a cell phone ban, Martin supports giving more money to state troopers so they can be more aggressive in stopping people who are driving dangerously because they are distracted.

State troopers have reported 424 traffic collisions in South Carolina since 2002 in which cell phone use was indicated as a primary contributing factor. The wrecks killed one person and injured 191 others, according to the Highway Patrol.

Four states and the District of Columbia have banned cell phone use while driving. Last year, 38 states were considering bills to deal with cell phone use while driving, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.