Atkins leads push to toughen cell-phone rules for drivers
Posted in: Articles, Updates on 05/27/2009 | No Comments
By Matt Murphy mmurphy@lowellsun.com
Updated: 05/27/2009 06:35:40 AM EDT
Cory Atkins … “time to take action”
BOSTON — A group of state lawmakers is urging immediate action to ban the use of hand-held cell phones while driving after an MBTA driver crashed a Green Line trolley while sending a text message.
The lawmakers, led by Rep. Cory Atkins, D-Concord, cited the May 8 MBTA accident as proof of why the Legislature must act quickly to prevent future accidents.
“The time is now for Massachusetts to take action,” reads a letter sent from Atkins’ office on Friday to Rep. Joseph Wagoner, D-Chicopee, and Sen. Steven Baddour, D-Methuen, the co-chairmen of the Committee on Transportation.
The letter was co-signed by 12 other legislators. A legislative hearing has been scheduled tentatively for June 4.
