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Council delays vote on hands‑free driving ordinance after questions on scope and enforcement
Summary
A proposed ordinance to broadly prohibit handheld device use while driving was introduced but postponed for a May public hearing after councilors raised questions about whether the draft would ban voice calls or allow Bluetooth hands‑free use.
The Los Alamos County Council introduced an ordinance that would broaden the county’s distracted‑driving rules to go beyond existing state texting bans, but councilors voted to postpone final consideration until a May meeting to allow time for amendment and additional public input.
What was proposed: The draft would amend county traffic code to prohibit “any activity which interferes with the safe operation of the vehicle,” explicitly listing use of handheld mobile devices for texting, sending photos, video and making calls. The chief stressed the ordinance’s intent is to address protracted phone use that requires drivers to look away from the roadway, while still allowing hands‑free Bluetooth connections.
Why it matters: County crash data presented by the police chief showed 44 accidents in the first quarter of the year with 21 attributed to driver inattention; the chief said driver inattention accounted for roughly 48% of crashes in that sample. Councilors said a local ordinance could give officers a clear basis for enforcement beyond the state prohibition on texting while driving.
Points of debate: Councilor Rieger pressed whether voice calls would be prohibited; the police chief and county attorney said the draft is intended to allow hands‑free Bluetooth calls while prohibiting a driver from holding a phone and using it to answer or look at content. The county attorney emphasized the draft was intended to go beyond texting and cover other prolonged phone uses.
Public comment and timing: The chief and councilors noted April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month; the council voted to move the ordinance’s hearing and possible vote to May to allow more community engagement and time to fine‑tune the amendment. The motion to amend and consider the ordinance in May passed on roll call 6–1 (one councilor opposed).
Ending: Councilors said the delay would allow staff to return with clarified language and give the public additional opportunity to comment before a vote at the May meeting.
