Lake Forest Begins Preliminary Look at Distracted Driving Ordinance

While Illinois state law only prohibits cellphone use in school and construction zones, Lake Forest residents could be facing a much stiffer enforcement locally.

But not right away.

Five council members and Mayor James Cowhey agreed at Tuesday night’s meeting to move discussion on adopting a local distracted driving ordinance to possibly a council meeting in February. Three council members were absent — Aldermen George Pandaleon, David Moore and Donald Schoenheider — and the discussion provided no consensus among those present.

City Manager Bob Kiely said that two of the absent alderman may be unable to attend the next city council meeting on Jan. 17, so the issue may have to be pushed to the Feb. 6 meeting.

City Council members considered enacting stricter legislation in keeping with recent responses by residents to city surveys (68 percent approving some kind of legislation), and passage of stricter ordinances by four other home-rule communities: Highland Park, Deerfield, Evanston and Antioch.

Just last month, the National Safety Transportation board strongly recommended a ban on the use of cellphones and text messaging devices while driving.

The proposed Lake Forest ordinances include:

1. Adding greater enforcement to current state laws on distracted driving.

2. Adopting a hands-free ordinance, prohibiting all wireless and electronic device use, text messaging; sending, reading or listening to electronic messages and browsing the Internet. Using a hands-free device (Bluetooth, speakerphone) would be permitted.

3. Adopting a more restrictive distracted driving ordinance, citing unlawful use of any “inattentive actions” endangering others. These include hand or hand-held use of electronic and entertainment devices; eating or drinking; reading and personal grooming.

The ordinances mirror the ones , deciding in the last to defer taking any action either way until Lake Forest makes a decision.

Lake Forest Police Chief Joe Buerger told council members, “Ordinance one is more restrictive and would cover cellphones or anything done in a vehicle other than driving. Eating fast food if it caused an accident would certainly be covered. I think the hands-free ordinance is the way to go.”

Council members had mixed reactions.

“The fear that I have is we are putting more of the attention of police officers enforcing laws that again are commonsense items,” said 1st Ward Alderman Kent Elliott Novit. “I'm not sure if it really is necessary. Certainly people should drive carefully, but are we really bettering the community?”

Added 4th Ward Alderman Michael Adelman, “There are lots of things we do in our cars, holding conversations with passengers, daydreaming, looking at a pretty girl ... that's the way we are. Cellphones require you to take your eyes off the road, that's where I think is the danger, a split second can kill.”