Red Tape Means Red Light For Texting And Driving Laws

Another plan to ban texting and driving has stalled at the Oklahoma Legislature.

Democratic Rep. Curtis McDaniel learned this week his plan to allow police to pull over drivers spotted texting behind the wheel would not be put up for a vote.

"I thought it was a no-brainer,"says McDaniel.

In 2013, Oklahoma lawmakers have proposed 10 different bills to reduce texting and driving. None have been voted through.

"It's going to take a major catastrophe in the lives of those people holding it up for something to happen," says McDaniel.

House Speaker T.W. Shannon has been a strong opponent of recently proposed legislation.

"Distracted driving is already illegal," says Speaker Shannon. "Study after study like one by the National institute for Highway Safety shows laws which purport to address testing while driving do nothing to reduce the number of fatal/injury accidents."

McDaniel says distracted driving is a secondary offense.  He tells News 9 he will continue to push for laws that would make it primary offense.

Oklahoma is one of 11 state that does not have a texting while driving law.