Texting Ban Sails Through House
Oklahoma House passes anti-texting while driving bill
By RANDY KREHBIEL World Staff Writer
OKLAHOMA CITY — Citing the recent death of an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper, the Oklahoma House of Representatives on Tuesday passed an anti-texting bill after years of resistance.
House Bill 1965 by Rep. Terry O’Donnell, R-Catoosa, would make texting while driving a secondary offense punishable by a $250 fine. The bill is named for Trooper Nicholas Dees, who died when he was hit by a truck whose driver was allegedly distracted by social media on his phone, and Dees’ partner Keith Burch, who was seriously injured in the crash.
“The tragic accident that killed Nicholas Dees and seriously injured Keith Burch was completely preventable,” said Rep. Mike Christian, R-Oklahoma City, and a former trooper. “It was a direct result of a driver so absorbed in his electronic media that he ran into both troopers at high speed while they were working the scene of another accident. This is a fitting tribute to both troopers that this act bears their names.”