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Resident urges renewed enforcement of Austin distracted‑driving ordinance, cites decade‑old law and Vision Zero
Summary
A member of the public told the commission that the city’s distracted‑driving ordinance (adopted 2014) was effectively enforced in the 2010s but is now enforced rarely because of staffing; he asked the commission to pursue data and coordinate with Vision Zero
At the start of the Feb. 4 meeting’s public‑communication period, Scott Johnson addressed the Urban Transportation Commission about enforcement of Austin’s distracted‑driving ordinance, which he said the City Council approved in August 2014.
Johnson told the commission he was a founding member of the Vision Zero effort and said enforcement of the ordinance dropped after about 2019 because of staffing shortages. He asked commissioners to seek citation data and other information from Vision Zero staff and to consider renewed awareness and “creative enforcement” strategies.
Johnson cited two enforcement‑related figures in his remarks: he said more than 10,000 citations were issued in 2018 and described recent calendar years with roughly 150 citations, and he referenced a 2024 study reporting that drivers touched their phones on about 58% of trips in 2022 (up from 54%). Johnson recommended the commission pursue data from Vision Zero and to collaborate on public awareness and enforcement approaches.
Commission response
Chair Summers told Johnson the commission receives regular Vision Zero updates and invited Johnson to continue the conversation by emailing the board liaison.
