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SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah lawmaker wants to add "fatigue" to a number of distractions a driver can be cited for by law enforcement.
Rep. Lee Perry, R-Perry, a Utah Highway Patrol lieutenant, presented his bill Thursday to the House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee, which approved it 8-2.
Lee said that police can currently cite drivers who seem to be driving while fatigued with reckless driving, but a judge has the discretion to overturn that citation.
Rep. David Butterfield, R-Logan, asked the bill's sponsor how a police officer is supposed to determine if a driver is fatigued. "I've been tired for the last five weeks."
Lee said HB95 would allow him to cite a driver who is literally asleep at the wheel, a situation he's seen multiple times.
The penalty for driving while fatigued would be a class C misdemeanor, and fiscal analysts predict the bill could earn the state $13,500 in fines.
The bill now moves to the House for its consideration.
E-mail: averzello@desnews.com
