Council Votes on Texting While Driving Ban

New Ban Passes Council in 1st Reading; Needs to Pass 2 More Readings to Become Law

– Allison Goldsberry

A ban on text messaging while driving passed the Medford City Council, 4-3, in its first reading during the Council’s Tuesday night meeting.

According to City Councilor Michael Marks, the proposed ban needs to have two additional readings and pass the Council two more times before it becomes law.

The Council met in a Committee of the Whole to discuss the issue on Tuesday, May 11 before their regular meeting. According to Councilor Marks, who has spearheaded the ban, the Committee’s recommendations were approved by the Council and were sent to City Solicitor Mark Rumley. Rumley was asked to craft an ordinance, which is what came before the Council for a vote.

“The language just needs to be tweaked and put under the correct section of the ordinances,” said Councilor Marks in an email after that meeting.

Back in January Councilor Marks proposed a ban on texting while driving on Medford’s roads. The Council passed his resolution unanimously and planned to discuss the issue further in a Committee of the Whole meeting.

In an interview in January, Councilor Marks said he was inspired by legislation taken up in Boston and Danvers, and frustrated by inaction by the state legislature.

“The state legislature’s inaction on this issue has really bothered me…They just fell asleep at the wheel, literally,” said Marks.

Councilor Marks has proposed a $100 fine for texting while driving. The second offense would be $200, and the third offense would result in a $300 fine. The ban would apply only on Medford streets, and not state roads such as the Fellsway and Mystic Valley Parkway.

Marks said the city should pass its own ban and he hopes the state legislature will follow suit. He said nineteen states, including New Hampshire, currently ban texting behind the wheel.

Councilor Marks said sobering statistics found on distraction.gov, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website about the dangers of distracted driving, also convinced him to take action.

He acknowledged there are many different kinds of distracted driving in addition to texting, such as cell phone use, eating, and even applying make-up while behind the wheel.

“Now it seems like if you’re not doing something else while driving, it’s not the norm,” said Councilor Marks.

Tonight’s meeting is open to the public and begins at 7:00PM. Council meetings take place in the Council Chambers at Medford City Hall and are broadcast live on Channel 16 in Medford.