Majority of Americans favor cell phone ban while driving
December 6, 2010 by Fred HosierPosted in: cell phones and safety, In this week's e-newsletter, Latest News & Views, Transportation safety, What do you think?
PDF The U.S. Secretary of Transportation recently said he’s considering a push in Congress for a national ban on using cell phones while driving. Turns out a majority of the public thinks that’s a good idea.
A Quinnipiac University poll finds 63% think there should be a nationwide ban on using cell phones while driving, with 34% opposed to the idea.
Younger people are less in favor of the ban. Only 51% of those 18-34 would support the ban, compared to 62% of people 35-54 and 74% of those 55+.
The poll also asked: How often do you use a cell phone while driving a car?
- 10% very often
- 21% sometimes
- 38% rarely
- 31% never.
Once again, younger people were more likely to say they used a cell phone while driving:
- People 18-34: 41% very often or sometimes
- People 35-54: 37% very often or sometimes
- People 55+: 14% very often or sometimes.
Quinnipiac polled 2,424 registered voters.
The National Safety Council (NSC) called on elected officials to take notice of the public’s support for a ban on using cell phones while driving.
“The public is fed up with their safety being jeopardized because of phone calls,” said David Teater, senior director of Transportation Initiatives for NSC.
Only 8 states have hand-held cell phone use bans. No state has a complete ban on using cell phones while driving. Texting while driving is illegal in 30 states. (Click here to see a state-by-state breakdown.)
Cell phone use is a factor in about 1.3 million crashes each year.
Do you support a nationwide ban on cell phone use while driving? Let us know in the Comments Box below.
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Tags: cell phone ban, hand-held cell phones, National Safety Council, Secretary of Transportation, texting
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December 7th, 2010 at 6:35 am
I think that this issue is a bit more complicated than stated in the article. For example, here in California, it is OK to talk on a cell phone as long as hands-free devices such as voice-activated functions and Bluetooth devices are used. The real problem is cell phones being used by drivers who do not drive safely anyway. I mean, why is it not OK to use a cell phone but it is OK to talk to a passenger in the car? Some drivers even look away from the road to talk to their passengers, even if they are in the back seat! Why is it not OK to use a cell phone but it is OK to manipulate buttons, dials, etc. on a vehicle’s entertainment system? And, there are people who look away from the road to look at a map, something in a book, etc; why is that OK and not the use of cell phones? I think this larger issue needs to be addressed, and not just the smaller issue of cell phones. But . . . I guess I would support a ban on the use if hands-free devices are not employed. At least that’s one fewer thing that unsafe drivers would have with which to be unsafe.
December 7th, 2010 at 9:21 am
I would support a hand-held cell phone ban which would eliminate texting, the most dangerous use by far. Bluetooth hands free cell calls I don’t see as much more dangerous, if at all, than carrying on a conversation with someone else in the car.
December 7th, 2010 at 3:48 pm
I’m in the 55+ bracket and I see no reason why cell phone use in cars should be banned provided it is hands free. I talk to passengers in my car and sometimes, I even talk to myself when I am alone. Why can’t I spend some time chatting with my mother on the phone as long as I have two hands on the wheel? Texting is obviously not a hands free activity and should be banned. Eating and drinking are hands on activities and many accidents have been caused by hot coffee suddenly coming in contact with something other than the inside of the cup, yet car manufacturers have used the number of cup holders in a car as a selling point. I think it would be better to start imposing serious penalties for those who flaunt the hands free rules.
December 7th, 2010 at 4:15 pm
I believe hands-free cell phone usage should be allowed but hand held not. I also think eating or drinking should also be banned while driving
December 7th, 2010 at 4:58 pm
The technology behind cell phones enables us to track the timeline between accidents/deaths and cell phones usage. That is why we are able to educate people on this subject. One reason why this topic so important is the fact that it puts other motorist/pedestrians at risk. Most people do not care whether a driver risks being catapulted through the windshield because they were not wearing a seatbelt, if the driver is stupid enough to not wear the seatbelt they are only risking themselves. Yes, we could talk about other distractions already listed in this forum. Are they serious? Yes. Absolutely, but we really dont have any way to track them. Most drivers wont admit the real reason they had an accident (“fishing for a smoke”, “looking for a cassette tape”) yes I said cassette tape. People were getting from point A to point B just fine before cell phones. Cell phones are great for an emergency, but we should pull over if we need to use one.
December 8th, 2010 at 12:56 pm
I understand the dangers of distracted driving and support anything that can be done to reduce risk of injury to all of us. But criminals don’t stop doing crimes just because there is a ban or law. Those things only keep honest people honest. I’m sure there is a ban against drunk driving in all states, but that doesn’t prevent some people from driving drunk or speeders from speeding (many repeat offenders in both ares here as well).
I also understand the technology to track timelines between cell towers, but how can it be determined that you weren’t a passenger in the car or the driver had given their phone to the passenger to use/answer.
There has to be more than just another law on the books, but I don’t have the answer other than my own conviction to keep myself and others safe.
March 27th, 2011 at 2:32 am
Cell phones: Access Denied
Imagine if vehicles were designed to have the driver’s seat respond to electrical currencies in the air. When drivers turn their engines on a signal from the driver’s seat would turn off the drivers electronic device automatically such as his or her cell phone. The theory of this is to ensure drivers that they will be safe behind the wheel by concentrating on what is on the road in front of them.
October 18th, 2011 at 10:01 am
A car is a 2000 lb projectile traveling at 75 mi/hr or 6160 ft/min or 102.6 ft/sec. Thats the length of a football field in less than 3 seconds. The GPS software in these phones can be used to eliminate calls from being placed while the car is in motion. It matters not if the person is a passenger or driver. Both should be denied access. Instead of controling phone use by laws it can be done by software preventing our freedoms from being impinged by the legislators. Its much easier to put a law in place than it is to remove it. I feel that phone makers should be held accountable for any accident that takes a life due to people using cell phones while driving. If it were not for cell phones this problem would not be occuring. Remember when you had to stop to use a drive up phone??? How many accidents did that cause?