Tougher cellphone law urged for drivers

An effort in Shawano County to discourage distracted driving has run into an obstacle with county officials who believe that banning cellphones while driving would be extreme government regulation.

The group known as Leadership Shawano County is leading a push throughout April to promote awareness on the dangers of motorists using cellphones or allowing other distractions while behind the wheel.

A survey conducted by the group shows that 92 percent of drivers locally leave cellphones turned on inside their vehicles. Most of those drivers, however, also say they are willing to change their driving habits to improve safety.

The campaign follows last year’s tragic death of Shawano County highway worker Derek Stempa, who was struck by a motorist later found to have been distracted by two unrestrained dogs and an oxygen mask inside the vehicle.

Dana Ritchie, a member of the Leadership Shawano County group, said she is encouraged to see the survey of 1,200 people in Shawano County showing that 88 percent are prepared to make changes to stop distracted driving.

“That speaks volumes — noticing that there’s a problem, and they’re willing to change,” Ritchie said. “That’s awesome.”

In addition to the survey, the group is planning an assembly at Bonduel High School, is urging parents to discuss safer driving habits with their children, and is asking county leaders to support a statewide ban on cellphones while driving except for hands-free devices.

The county measure initially is getting a poor reception among county officials who see a statewide ban as excessive.

The measure seeking new state legislative action stalled, at least temporarily, when members of the county’s public safety committee declined April 6 to bring the proposal to a vote.

Supervisor Patrick Hoffman said he remembers using a citizens band radio while driving a truck years ago, and he doubts that cellphone usage is a safety issue as long as drivers use common sense and keep their eyes on the road. Hoffman said the statewide ban is unnecessary.

“To me, that’s just government overreach,” he said.

Supervisor Jon Zwirschitz agreed, saying: “There’s too much Big Brother in the world.”

Members of Leadership Shawano County expressed disappointment at the setback, saying that it demonstrates the need for more public awareness about the dangers of distracted driving.

“We just have to refocus our efforts on education,” said Patrick Rau, another member of the group, who is the Bonduel School District superintendent.

Bonduel High School students will participate in an assembly April 28 with a simulator provided by the AT&T “It Can Wait” campaign against texting and driving. Students using the simulator will demonstrate the risks of handling a cellphone while behind the wheel of a moving vehicle.

Rau said it is a message geared toward young people, but one that all drivers should hear.

“Everybody can do a better job of keeping their eyes on the road,” he said.

Leadership Shawano County, an annual program of the Shawano Country Chamber of Commerce, brings together professionals and others in the area to discuss community issues related to family, health, education, business and other topics.

The local leadership group’s survey on driving habits was conducted randomly, but 1,200 people responded through email and other electronic formats. In addition to cellphones, the survey discussed other forms of distracted driving, such as eating or having a housepet in the car.

Another group member, Beth McFarlane, who serves on the Shawano School Board, said she was surprised by the survey results showing that distracted driving is so commonplace.

“It’s frightening when you think about how often it’s happening,” she said. “It’s a bigger problem than people think.”

Although state law already prohibits inattentive driving and a measure has been introduced in the Legislature to ban cellphones in construction zones, the group asked Shawano County elected leaders to support a statewide ban “prohibiting the use of cellphones and other similar devices while driving for any purpose at any time, unless such activity is performed on a hands-free basis.”

With a committee balking at the proposal, it is unclear whether the measure will reach the full County Board, as originally intended.

Ritchie, who works as office manager for the Shawano County Sheriff’s Department, said Stempa’s death was a major motivation for the distracted driving effort. She also said it could take other tragedies, unfortunately, to persuade more people that distracted driving is a serious problem.

Ritchie said her group hopes to make another effort at convincing the county’s elected leaders to get behind stronger state laws on the issue.

“It’s not going away,” she said. “It’s going to have to take awareness.”

The National Safety Council has declared April as national Distracted Driving Awareness Month.