Texting while driving ban dies in House committee

• Texting widow

Janean Christensen, of Brandon and formerly of Mitchell, listens as House Judiciary Committee members at the Capitol in Pierre prepare to reject legislation Wednesday that would generally ban texting while driving in South Dakota. Christensen’s husband Jon was the victim of a fatal 2010 crash near Mitchell that was caused by a texting driver. Also pictured is Maynard Konechne, legislative chairman for the South Dakota Emergency Medical Technicians’ Association and a longtime EMT from Kimball. (Bob Mercer/Republic Capitol Bureau)

Talk about it

More...

• HOW THEY VOTED

PIERRE (AP) — A South Dakota House committee has killed a bill that would have banned texting while driving despite sometimes-tearful testimony from people whose loved ones have been killed in texting-related wrecks.

The Judiciary Committee voted 8-5 against the bill Wednesday, which had passed the Senate and was supported by police chiefs and insurance lobbyists. No one spoke in opposition.

Justin Iburg was among those who testified in favor of the bill. He was convicted of a September 2010 wreck near Mitchell that killed father of two Jon Christensen. Christensen's widow also testified in favor of the ban.

Committee members who urged the bill's failure said there isn't enough evidence proving that bans effectively lower crash rates.

Four South Dakota cities in the past year have imposed bans on texting while driving.

Tags: news, updates, breakingnews, state, legislature, texting, driving, safety