A recently released survey of states by the Governors Highway Safety Association shows Oklahoma is one of nine states without a texting ban in place, despite some lawmakers’ previous efforts.
Through public awareness campaigns and other grassroots efforts, there has been a 45 percent increase in the last three years in the number of states with texting bans, with 41 states and the District of Columbia having some type of texting ban in place, up from 28 states and D.C. in 2010, the survey data shows.
Nine states remain without texting bans, including Texas, Arizona, South Carolina and Oklahoma. House Democrats championed a bill during the 2013 session that would prohibit the act, but the measure did not receive a floor hearing in the House.
The bill passed out of the House Transportation Committee but not without debate that mostly focused on the restriction of personal freedoms.
(Reported by Christie Southern)
