A Colorado state lawmaker has introduced a bill that would prevent young drivers with learner's permits from using cell phones while driving.

The bill sponsor, Rep. Michael Garcia, D-Aurora, told Denver's KUSA TV the restriction is a matter of common sense.

“You could be driving 40, 50, 65 mph and you're in the car, you need to signal, maybe you need to shift, you need to adjust the temperature control or something, and if you're using a cell phone and you're talking, holding the cell phone and having the conversation, that's a recipe for disaster for people who are just learning to drive,” Garcia said.

The young driver provision – HB1173 – follows a National Transportation Safety Board report released last year that recommended novice drivers be prohibited from using cell phones while on the road.

The safety board says that young drivers account for only 7 percent of the driving population but are involved in 15 percent of fatal accidents. Distracted drivers take 1.5 seconds longer to respond to hazards, the agency says.

“Learning how to drive and getting comfortable in traffic requires all the concentration a novice driver can muster,” NTSB Chairwoman Ellen Engleman Conners said in a recent statement. “Adding a distracting element like a cell phone is placing too many demands on a young driver's skills.”