Bike Pittsburgh

HARRISBURG — State legislators from the Pittsburgh area and elsewhere across Pennsylvania will make a major push to to make texting while driving illegal.

Why? Because it’s dangerous — both to the drivers who become distracted and sloppy while sending text messages, and to other drivers and pedestrians in the area, said Reps. Joe Markosek, D-Monroeville, Paul Costa, D-Wilkins, and others.

“We are all just one text message from eternity,” Mr. Markosek said bluntly at a news conference today, as he introduced House Bill 2070. He expects the new measure to be approved by the House Transportation Committee as early as tomorrow and sent to the full House for action. Mr. Markosek is the committee chairman and the bill has bipartisan support, including Rep. Rick Geist, R-Blair, as a co-sponsor.