Father Lobbies Arizona Legislature to Pass Texting While Driving Ban
A California father whose son was killed by a driver who didn't see him because she was texting is lobbying the Arizona Legislature to pass a texting while driving ban. Robert Okerblom's 19-year-old son Eric was hit and killed by a teen driver who was texting in 2009. Okerblom now runs the Eric Okerblom foundation, which advocates for tougher distracted driving laws around the country.
Eric Okerblom was a freshman at the University of California Berkeley who planned to join the cycling team in his sophomore year. He was cycling in daylight on a straight country road when he was struck and killed by the teen driver. Okerblom and his attorney subpoened the phone records and discovered that driver had been texting at the time of the accident.
Okerblom's foundation has organized a cross-country bike ride to raise awareness of distracted driving and lobby for laws against it. The ride began last month in California and is now passing through Arizona. The ride is specifically going through states that have little or no regulation of distracted driving, such as Arizona.
State Senator Al Melvin and Representative Steve Farley both have bills in their respective chambers to ban texting while driving. Farley first introduced his bill in 2007, but it has not garnered enough support. Since 2007, 30 states and the District of Columbia have passed distracted driving laws.
Texting while Driving can be just as dangerous as Driving Under the Influence.