Legislation pending in an Alabama House panel would prohibit drivers’ use of hand-held cell phones.

The bill, introduced by Rep. Jack Page, D-Gadsden, would permit only “hands-free” devices in moving vehicles.

The main objective for the ban is, “to address an unsafe condition on the roads which has becoming more and more hazardous,” Page told The Auburn Plainsman.

The infraction would be a primary offense, allowing police to pull over drivers with a phone to their ears. Violators could face a $50 fine with no points assessed to their license.

HB117 has been in the House Public Safety Committee since early February.

Seventeen states have some sort of restriction on cell phone use in a vehicle, according to a 2003 report from the National Conference of State Legislatures. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that driver distraction is a factor in up to 30 percent of all motor vehicle crashes.