In 2011 I sponsored legislation to enhance the penalty for folks who killed someone when making a left hand turn. Our initial proposal was to increase the fine from $90 to $500 and suspend a drivers license for 30 days. Our proposal failed at committee.
With the recent sentencing of the driver involved in Ken Cox's death, Channel 4 picked up on the story. They came to my Ogden office today to interview Kody Cox, ABATE, and myself. Here is their report:
A special thanks to Kody and ABATE for bringing this issue to the media's attention. More driver awareness will help improve safety. I will be drafting legislation to see if we can discuss this issue again at the Capitol during the next legislative session.
Friday, April 27, 2012
3 comments:
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Why did you run this bill 2011? Where did it come from?
ReplyDeleteWho asked you run this bill? Why did it fail? Who supported it, who opposed it? Why are you running it again if Other Representatives think it is a bad Idea.
Mr. Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteHere are some links that will answer your questions:
Here is why I ran the bill in 2011:
http://mrpetersonsperspectives.blogspot.com/2011/01/new-bill-hb-63-left-hand-turn-penalty.html
Here is the committee meeting:
http://recordings.le.utah.gov/mp3/committee/rc450-0131110.mp3
The committee felt that carving out an enhancement to the penalty for just once specific moving violation was inequitable. When I talked to each committee member specifically about this sentiment after the meeting they said they wouldn't support it even if an enhancement was more equally applied to all violations. However, they could not articulate why they would oppose it. Some of this may be the Transportation Committee's lack of experience with law enforcement type provisions. Depending on what route we decide to pursue (after getting legislator input on a best course), the bill may be assigned to a number of different committees based on the content of the bill.
So you feel that this is still worth pursuing, even though it may not get through the house debate.
DeleteI wonder how many of these type accidents have happened in the state in the last 10 years, 5 years, and last year?
Don't you think that banning the use of cell phones in cars has even more of risk of getting in accidents than that of left hand turns? How many cell phone accidents have happened in the state in the last 10 years, 5 years, and last year? That is where the attention should be.