WHEREAS, an LCD panel or video monitor installed in a vehicle and viewable by a driver is an unnecessary distraction and is a potential danger to all passengers in the vehicle; and

WHEREAS, a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that 25% of 6.3 million reported vehicle crashes each year involve some form of driver distraction, such as the use of technological devices; and

WHEREAS, it is reasonable to assume that it could be dangerous to install a screen in full view of a driver because it can be a distraction and instead should be installed so that it is not visible from the driver's seat; and

WHEREAS, the use of potentially distracting LCD panels on telematic devices is a safety concern for automakers and regulators that are currently conducting studies on the risk involved with LCD panels in vehicles; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2005, that the House of Representatives requests the Legislative Reference Bureau to perform a study on:

2) The utility of enacting such amendments;

and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the state Department of Transportation is requested to assist the Legislative Reference Bureau with this study by providing it with all relevant research and data already compiled; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Reference Bureau should report its findings and recommendations to the Legislature at least twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2006; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of the Department of Transportation and the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Report Title:

Traffic Safety; study; ban on display screens visible to driver