Impact
WARD: City wide
COMMITTEE: Public Safety
$ IMPACT:
Title
Second Public Hearing: Approve the Amendment to the City of Smyrna's Code of Ordinances, Chapter 98 entitled Traffic and Vehicles, to include Section 98-10 Prohibiting the use of handheld Mobile Telephones or Portable Electronic Devices while operating a Motor Vehicle
Body
ISSUE:
The City Council of Smyrna finds and determines that distracted driving constitutes a special condition which poses an increasingly significant threat to the health, safety, and welfare of motorists and pedestrians within the City. The City Council of Smyrna finds and determines that a temporary and experimental regulation, no longer than two (2) years in duration, is necessary to cover the special condition caused by the increased number of incidences of distracted driving and associated traffic accidents and will allow for the collection of data points concerning the effectiveness of said regulation.
DISTRACTED DRIVING - PROHIBITING THE USE OF HANDHELD MOBILE TELEPHONES OR PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICES WHILE OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE.
BACKGROUND:
Studies show that distracted driving in Georgia is suspected to be greatly underreported in fatal and serious injury collisions, as information pointing to distraction is gathered through self-reporting, witness testimony and evidence indicating distraction. Even with greatly underreported fatal and serious injury collisions caused by distracted driving, from 2012 to 2015 Georgia has seen a 60% increase in the number of such incidents. From 2009 to 2015, the number of serious injuries from traffic accidents in Georgia increased 55%. Georgia’s traffic fatalities rate is higher now than it was before the 2010 law that bans texting while driving. In 2009, Georgia had 1,292 traffic fatalities. In 2016, Georgia had 1,561 traffic fatalities. The rise of the traffic fatalities rate in Georgia is outpacing the national average. 60% of roadway fatalities in Georgia involve drivers failing to maintain their lanes.
This ordinance was brought before Mayor and Council on November 20, 2017. A public hearing was held and many people spoke on the subject.
RECOMMENDATION/REQUESTED ACTION: