Minn. panels look at dangers of distracted driving

Minnesota lawmakers are taking another look at the dangers of distracted driving.

House and Senate transportation committees have a joint hearing Wednesday on the risks of things like cell phone dialing, fiddling with GPS devices and eating.

Legislation to punish distracted drivers who cause accidents didn't make it out of committees last year.

But Minnesota lawmakers in 2008 banned text-messaging, e-mailing and browsing the Internet while driving.

No votes are expected in the joint hearing of the Senate Transportation Committee and a House transportation panel.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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