Busy at the wheel

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n today’s culture, texting while driving has become a safety hazard for drivers. However, cell phones are no longer the only interruptions behind the wheel. 

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there are at least 3,000 deaths annually from distraction-affected crashes in which drivers lost control of their vehicles due to manual, visual or cognitive distractions.

The city of Vestavia Hills is taking action. During a December meeting, the City Council passed an ordinance prohibiting distracted driving in school zones.

In 2012, the state of Alabama passed a law that prohibits texting while driving. The Vestavia Hills ordinance covers a broader area by defining distracted driving as any activity that diverts a person’s attention from driving including talking, texting, emailing, reading books, newspapers, pets, loud music, food, etc. A school zone is defined as any ground located within 1,000 feet from the school. 

Councilman Steve Ammons said he and fellow Councilman John Henley met with School Resources Officers to come up with an ordinance that would protect both children and parents and also the officers directing traffic at each school campus.

“The ordinance is aimed at providing safety in and around our schools,” Ammons said. “We want to make sure we maintain a safe environment for our SRO’s and teachers that are out there directing traffic as well as our students. We have had instances where SRO’s have been hit or brushed by vehicles because drivers just don’t pay attention.”

Lt. Brian Gilham stated this is the second year of having an officer at each school.  During a January council meeting, multiple SRO’s in attendance raised their hands when Gilham asked them if they had ever been brushed by a car while directing traffic at one of the local schools.

 “This ordinance gives our officers the authority to address the situations as they see them,” Gilham said. “We will try to give as many warnings as possible before issuing the citation.”

Gilham emphasized that these are traffic citations that enforce city ordinances, they are not traffic tickets. The Board of Education also approved the ordinance.

Residents have expressed concerns that restrictions such as eating, drinking, or having pets inside their cars is extreme and have also said the vague wording in the ordinance raises questions about how it will be properly enforced.

“Attempting to legislate what should be common sense is a bad idea, especially when protections were already in place,” said resident Kimberly Cook. “Citizens cannot be sure when they are violating the law.”

Ammons makes it clear a lot of thought was put into drafting the ordinance.

“Councilman Henley and I wrote the ordinance after almost a year of consideration and information gathering,” Ammons said. “All it takes is some consideration when picking up and dropping off at our schools.”  

To a view a copy of the ordinance, visit vhal.org.