Those who want to ban use of hand-held cell phones while driving renew their push at the State Capitol next week as the 2018 session begins. They’ve been unsuccessful for years, but Mark Kulda with the Insurance Federation of Minnesota says the dynamic has changed in the Minnesota House. He says, “The leadership voices are a little different now, and they’re also being more susceptible to the messages that we’re providing.” One powerful opponent of the measure, Vernon Center Republican Tony Cornish, left the legislature and backers now hope for a vote on the House floor.
Kulda says beyond accidents and injuries caused by cell phone use while driving, it’s become a financial issue. “Distracted driving is an absolute epidemic and it is costing consumers money in the form of higher insurance premiums,” he says. There’s a rally Thursday morning (2/22, 1030am) in the State Capitol Rotunda.