If passed, a Cincinnati City Council proposal could fine drivers who are texting from $100 to $500 per offense.
Many Miami University students frequently drive through Cincinnati, and a new proposal made by Cincinnati City Council could affect students' in-car habits and, potentially, their wallets.
Cincinnati city councilor Chris Bortz introduced a proposal last week to ban texting while driving in the city, with proposed fines for the act ranging from $100 for the first offense up to $500 total.
"Approving this proposal could take approximately four to six weeks," Bortz said. "It is something that can happen very quickly."
Bortz also said there has been a "mostly very positive" response from the public.
According to Bortz, there hasn't been any recent increase in texting-related accidents or deaths in Cincinnati.
Bortz said the catalyst for this proposal was "reading about the issue in other areas, other communities" and deciding "rather than wait, it seemed appropriate ... to be pre-emptive."
Cleveland City Council passed a ban on texting behind the wheel in their city April 20, which will go into effect this summer.
Other cities that currently ban texting while driving include Chicago, Detroit, Phoenix and Honolulu.
Bortz said he based his proposal on those he had seen passed in other cities. There was "no need to reinvent the wheel" when it came to writing this proposal, he said.
If the proposal passes, Bortz does not expect the money paid for tickets to serve as a revenue generator, but said it will go toward additional community safety efforts.
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When asked about the chance of Oxford instituting its own ban on texting behind the wheel, Oxford Mayor Prue Dana said city officials "have not thought about it here."
She said she does see the benefits, though. Dana said she supports stiff fines because they deter people from committing an action in the first place.
Dana also said she knows the ban will upset students and adults who work and live in the Cincinnati area, but said in terms of causing accidents, texting while driving is "the equivalent of driving drunk."
Miami students seem to agree.
"(The ban on texting while driving) will keep drivers more alert and focused," sophomore Becca Leffler said. "They might not be happy about it, but they shouldn't be texting while they're driving anyway."
Sophomore Drew Thiele said he thinks it's smart to motivate people to keep their eyes on the road.
"I like the idea," Thiele said. "People should be watching the road, not looking at their phones every two minutes."
According to Bortz, a future ban on phone calls while driving in Cincinnati would be "interesting and worth looking at," but said there would be a lot of issues to work out, such as whether Bluetooth headsets or speakerphone would still be allowed.
The next meeting of the Cincinnati City Council will take place at 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 29 in the Council Chambers, Room 300 of Cincinnati City Hall.
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