Put down the cell phone and drive

Bumper sticker
A car sports a bumper sticker that suggests other drivers should concentrate on their driving instead of talking on cell phones.
Tom Keck/Getty Images

(AP) - Whether it's chewing a hamburger, smoking a cigar or answering a cell phone, some Minnesota lawmakers want distracted drivers to face penalties if their behavior contributes to an accident.

The bill that passed out of the Senate Transportation Committee on Tuesday wouldn't mean drivers could be stopped for applying lipstick or fiddling with the GPS. But if the driver then crashes and causes major damage or serious injury, it could be a gross misdemeanor.

Sen. Michael Jungbauer, R-East Bethel, said his bill is needed because drivers right now can only be cited for failing to exercise reasonable care if they're speeding. Otherwise they have to be doing something bad enough to qualify as reckless driving.

The bill doesn't list specific behaviors that could lead to the penalties, and some lawmakers say they're concerned that the bill is too vague.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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