On Friday, State Rep. Bill Callegari (R-Katy) addressed elected officials and transportation experts from across the state on the key transportation safety issues facing the Texas Legislature.
Callegari spoke before a quarterly meeting of TEX-21, a transportation advocacy group including counties, transit agencies, port authorities, and other transportation entities from around the state.
CALLEGARI
TEX-21′s meeting was held Thursday and Friday, and was hosted by Texas Southern University’s Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs in conjunction with the Houston Citizens Chamber of Commerce.
Callegari said texting while driving and DWI, in addition to the need for better traffic management, will be some of the major safety issues considered in the next legislative session.
Pointing to texting while driving, Callegari said several high profile accidents and public service campaigns have catapulted the issue to national importance.
To date 19 states have passed legislation prohibiting texting while driving. On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Transportation banned commercial truck and bus drivers from texting while driving.
In Texas, while state law prohibits minors from texting while driving, some legislators are considering extending this ban to all drivers.
“This is something that’s going to have to happen,” Callegari said. “The dangers associated with texting while driving are apparent, and everyone needs to concentrate on the job at hand, which is driving safely to ensure their own safety and the safety of other motorists and pedestrians.”
Another topic Callegari addressed was driving while intoxicated. While DWI fatalities are down seven percent nationwide, Texas continues to lead the nation in alcohol-related driving deaths.
Last session Callegari introduced HB 1110, the Todd Levin Memorial Act, to require that ignition interlock devices be installed in every convicted drunk driver’s motor vehicle. While that bill failed to make it into law, Callegari said he planned to introduce the legislation again.
“Statistics show that repeat drunk drivers are eight times more likely to have a prior drunk driving offense than sober drivers, and that requiring the use of ignition interlocks can reduce drunk driving by 64 percent,” Callegari pointed out. “Given how well these devices may work, I plan to re-introduce my ignition interlock device legislation during the next session.”
Callegari also spoke on the need for better traffic management in Texas, particularly with regard to traffic light signalization.
“We’re going to look at traffic light signalization, and how to best move traffic safely,” Callegari said. “Poorly planned traffic signals present a host of problems, including more congestion, greater emissions, wasted time, and a greater likelihood for road rage. I think these constitute a safety problem.”
House Speaker Joe Straus has charged the House Transportation Committee to study this issue before the next legislature convenes in January 2011.
Callegari spoke before a quarterly meeting of TEX-21, a transportation advocacy group including counties, transit agencies, port authorities, and other transportation entities from around the state. TEX-21′s meeting was held on Thursday and Friday, and was hosted by Texas Southern University’s Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs in conjunction with the Houston Citizens Chamber of Commerce.
One of two engineers currently in the Texas House of Representatives, Callegari is serving his second term on the House Transportation Committee.
