Friends,
This was an eventful week as I had the honor to hold a press conference to introduce a bipartisan bill on Tuesday to have Minnesota join 14 states and the District of Columbia with a Hands Free law for electronic devices while driving. Minnesota is already one of the 46 states that outlaws texting while driving.
As discussed in the Star Tribune story on my bill, between 2011 and 2015 distracted driving contributed to more than 86,000 crashes and 74 deaths while citations for inattentive driving doubled from 2014 to 2016. And at any given time, 9% of all drivers nationwide are using their cellphones while driving.
Rep. Uglem with co-author DFL Rep. Frank Hornstein
and DFL Senate author Jim Carlson at press conference
My bill will prohibit hand-held cellphone use while driving. It does not ban talking on the phone while driving, just requiring the driver to utilize some form of hands-free technology – Bluetooth technology, headsets etc.
The bill does have exceptions for devices that are exclusively for navigational purposes (GPS only devices) and first responders as well as someone contacting emergency personnel are exempt from the ban.
Bottom line is that this bill will help law enforcement enforce current bans on texting while driving and cut down significantly on distracted driving. Distracted driving is one of the top causes of accidents and deaths on roadways across the country. We need to do something to prevent these tragedies.
Rep. Uglem surrounded by legislators, safety advocates, and industry
supporters of the Hands Free bill
My Hands Free bill has the support of safety advocates, industry leaders, and has bipartisan support in the House. I have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support I have received in the days since the press conference where this bill was announced. I honestly do not think I have ever received this much support and it shows me that Minnesota is ready for this change.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at 651-296-5513 or emailing me at rep.mark.uglem@house.mn.
Thank you and have a great weekend,
Mark