Rollingwood City Council discussed Wednesday drafting an ordinance that would ban the use of hand-held mobile devices while driving within the city limits. City Council used the city of Sunset Valley’s “hands-free” ordinance as a reference during the discussion.

“I’ve had several people ask me why police aren’t enforcing the hands-free ordinance in Rollingwood,” Mayor Pro Tem Sara Hutson said. “It’s because we don’t have one.”

Hutson said she has had some close calls related to drivers using their phones while driving, and she has also seen people texting and on their phones while driving in the city’s park zone.

Rollingwood Police Chief Dayne Pryor said he would like Rollingwood’s ordinance to mirror those of surrounding Austin and West Lake Hills.

“Whether you support the ordinance or not, the fact is other cities around us have this,” he said. “It would make sense to mirror those.”

A hands-free ordinance went into effect in West Lake Hills in April 2015, and ordinances in Bee Cave and Lakeway were enforced starting in July 2015. The city of Austin’s ordinance went into effect in January 2015.

Based on Sunset Valley’s ordinance, drivers would be prohibited from accessing mobile communication or electronic devices while the vehicle is in motion. Phone conversations could still take place using Bluetooth or similar wireless technology or in-car systems, but  drivers would not be allowed to use their hands to access phone applications.

A draft of the ordinance will be presented to City Council at a meeting March 6, and council could take action on the ordinance that day.

“I’ve seen how devastating accidents can be that were caused by people just looking at their phone,” Pryor said. “Distracted drivers are just as dangerous as drunk drivers.”