Oologah's cell phone ban while driving, on hold

A plan to ban cell phone use while driving in one Oklahoma community is on hold. <br><br>Oologah leaders wanted to outlaw what they call a highway hazard, but the town board hit a roadblock. <br><br>Town

Tuesday, February 4th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

A plan to ban cell phone use while driving in one Oklahoma community is on hold.

Oologah leaders wanted to outlaw what they call a highway hazard, but the town board hit a roadblock.

Town trustees planned to vote on the ban at Monday night's meeting. But the town attorney discovered that Oklahoma statutes prevent any community from making its own laws on the issue.

Oologah trustee Alice Snyder, "There's been so many accidents and near accidents I think we just want to study and see what we can do with it."

Demetrius Kamalakis with Oologahâ€™s Emergency Management, "I disagree with the ban it's just like everything else a lot of people drive with one hand anyway these people that cut in front of everyone else are gonna do it anyway regardless, it's driving habits that's bad, I don't think cell phones make a difference.â€

In the end the board agreed upon a resolution asking the state to look more closely at the dangers of cell phones and driving.

New York was the first state to pass such a law, in 2001.