Should states ban all cell phone use by drivers?
December 19, 2011 by Fred HosierPosted in: cell phones and safety, Fatality, Special Report
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has called upon states to ban drivers’ use of cell phones and any personal electronic devices while operating a motor vehicle. Let the debate begin!
The NTSB proposal would apply to hands-free devices, but not GPSs.
The agency made the proposition in connection with the results of its investigation into an Aug. 5, 2010, crash on I-44 in Gray Summit, MO, that killed two people and injured 38 others.
A pickup truck ran into the back of a truck-tractor. Then a school bus hit the pickup, and the first school bus was hit by a second one. The pickup driver and a 15-year-old student were killed.
The NTSB investigation showed the pickup driver sent and received 11 text messages in the 11 minutes before the crash. The last text was received moments before the pickup struck the truck.
Probable cause is listed as distraction.
NTSB investigations into these type of crashes dates back nine years. The first was in 2002 when a driver, distracted by a cell phone conversation, veered off a road in Largo, MD, crossed the median, and killed five people.
Other transportation incidents in which people were injured or killed due to an operator’s cell phone use:
- In the 2008 collision of a commuter train with a freight train in Chatsworth, CA, the commuter train engineer ran a red signal while texting. The collision killed 25 and injured dozens.
- In Philadelphia in 2010, a barge being towed by a tugboat ran over a duck boat full of tourists in the Delaware River, killing two passengers. The tugboat mate failed to maintain a proper lookout because of his repeated use of his cell phone.
- In 2010, near Munfordville, KY, a tractor trailer left its lane, crossed the median and collided with a 15-passenger van. The truck driver didn’t keep control of his vehicle because he was distracted by use of his cell phone. Eleven people were killed.
The NTSB’s call for states to ban drivers from using hand-held and hands-free devices goes beyond any laws enacted. Nine states now ban the use of hand-held phones, and 35 states ban texting by drivers. Some states have passed laws that apply to the use of cell phones by drivers under the age of 21. (For a summary of state laws, click here.)
Across the globe, 20 countries have some limitations on the use of phones by drivers, including complete bans in Germany and Portugal.
The cell phone industry backs bans on texting while driving.
The Alliance for Automobile Manufacturers says it’s reviewing the NTSB recommendations. However, it defended the integrated systems now available in many cars, saying they allow drivers to keep their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road while they make calls.
No doubt many cell phone owners will oppose the NTSB’s proposal, particularly that it includes hands-free devices such as headsets and integrated systems.
For businesses, there are good reasons to enact their own bans of one type or another. In any lawsuits stemming from a crash, evidence of texting while driving may prove negligence or recklessness, which often determines the outcome of an injury lawsuit. If a texting driver wants to sue someone else regarding a crash, the texting may constitute contributory negligence and prevent the texting driver from obtaining compensation.
Let’s hear what you have to say: Do you support the NTSB’s call for a ban on the use of all electronic devices in vehicles, hand-held and hands-free? If not, what kind of a ban would you support? You can leave your comments below.
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Tags: cell phone ban, hand-held cell phones, hands-free cell phones, NTSB, texting while driving
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December 19th, 2011 at 4:26 pm
Making it a law won’t stop people from doing it. The current running joke, I think it was from Jay Leno:
“Did you here has a new law against using cell phones while driving? You have to put the phone down away from your ear when you pass by a cop”
If distracted driving is truly the problem, then why not address a law to stop people from all distracted driving. This law would include things such as: Applying makeup while driving, reading maps while driving, talking to passengers while driving, adjusting the radio or switching cd’s while driving, eating while driving, opening a bottle of soda and taking a drink while driving.
All of these are serious distractions that have lead to crashes in the past. Why not address these?
There are laws against drunk driving. How many accidents do we still have involving drunk drivers? Don’t they know there is a law against it?
My point is, you can have all the laws in the world and it won’t do much to change the behavior. Self-preservation is an innate charactersitic in humans. If they truly believe that what they are doing places themself in a life-or-death situation they wouldn’t do it. People constantly are making internal risk-reward choices every day. Leave it up to liabilty in the civil court system, that’s as far as it should go.
By all means, continue the education about the dangers of distracted driving (of all types) as well as impaired driving and seat belt use. The idea that we need all these laws to protect us from ourselves is ridiculous.
December 20th, 2011 at 8:15 am
Let’s try enforcing the rules we already have. Using a hands free device would have prevented the problems. Will their ban on all devices include CB and 2 way radios?
December 20th, 2011 at 8:25 am
Authority Having Jurisdicition, As an elected official in the State of Texas, my uncle gave me a copy of the US constitution and reminded if it was not in the US Constitution, I could not do it. LIMITED GOVERNMENT. Nanny state police aside, matters of radio operation is a treaty matter. Outside the AHJ of State County and local authority, reserved to the people.
Blame the human, and you can not SUE for the big dollars. All of the guilty have little to sue for. Blame the Phone and sue the phone company, who are known to have deep pockets.
It is not possible to make stupid a crime, but we still keep trying.
NSTB in fact asked for a MAJOR BUDGET CUT and a realignment in the function of the NSTB. The United States of America is not Europe, and can not thrive as a ZERO TOLERANCE for RISK ZONE.
The Ten Commandments are 2000 years plus old, Yet current office holder sell the idea that their new crime bill shows why the should be re-elected. Looking at the Ten Comandments, I find no new crimes, just new criminals, many holding positions of trust
December 20th, 2011 at 8:32 am
Is the NTSB also going to ban truck drivers from talking on CB radios as most trucks have one. I believe the ban on hand held phones is reasonable but that is it. Are they going to ban a radio as music may distract someone and then ban passengers as they may also distract the driver or eating, smoking or drinking coffee. Where will this end?
December 20th, 2011 at 9:08 am
I agree with this ban ONLY if it works. Meaning the law and all other emergency departments would have to obey the same law, No matter the reason. I’m only 36 and I can remember before cell phones things worked just as good as they do today with radios. Not saying they are any better, but that there where less people using them.
I live in Maryland where using a cell phone is illigeal unless it’s hands free, but I see cops using them all the time. I’ve even called the station to report it and they tell me “the cop is making an emergency call”.. WHAT?????? What the hell happened to the radio that is in EVERY cop car?
December 20th, 2011 at 9:14 am
Why do we focus on cell phone use so much but not on any of the other distracting activities that drivers engage in on the road?
Certainly most people can agree that behaviors like texting, e-mailing, web surfing/reading, even trying to physically dial a phone number, are all incredibly distracting to drivers and reall yshould not be attempted while behind the wheel. Any discussion on banning those actions seems very worthwhile - but because of the distracting nature of the tasks, not because of the the device that’s used.
On the other hand, most people would consider the act of simply talking on a cell phone, especially in “hands-free” mode, to be much less distracting (I say less, not ZERO). Many other activities that drivers engage in while driving are likely to be as distracting or even more so. Behaviors like eating, grooming, using a GPS system, fiddling with the radio, even talking with passenegrs, are all routinely practiced by drivers. Yet there are no discussiosn of prohibiting any of those activities or enforcing bans through ticketing.
Instead of going after the “bad” device de jour - cell phones - lets put the focus back where it belongs, on risky and distracting behaviors.
December 20th, 2011 at 9:16 am
I feel that additional laws are not the way to go. If you look at the seatbelt phenomenom, for years there were many states that made seatbelt use a secondary infraction (meaning you couldn’t be stopped for it). Then many upgraded to a primary (you could be stopped for it).
Yet years later, people are still not wearing seatbelts and laws and enforcement initiatives drive spradic compliance. The most reckless drivers will likely not wear seatbelts regardless of the laws in place.
Fast forward to texting and phone usage, I think the same can be said for laws and enforcement. They are “administrative controls”. In the heirarchy of controls, engineering controls should be used prior to administrative controls. I saw recently someone’s suggestion that a phone be enabled with motion sensing (similar to gps speed tracking) and if greater than say - 10-15 mph (how fast can someone run?) - the phone would fail to function until below the designed speed.
Another administrative control that I think is better than law enforcement, is insurance administration. I think insurance administrators should have a policy that personal expenses would not be covered in the event of an accident (i.e. vehicle replacement) due to negligence (i.e. found to be texting/talking).
While an argument can be made back to the reckless person likely to be doing these activities may not be carrying insurance in the first place, I refer back to my first suggestion, of engineering controls on some sort of phone deactivator while driving. This is a regulation that the consumer product safety commission likely has the power to enact.
Food for thought.
December 20th, 2011 at 9:20 am
It is not cell phones, it is distracted driving. Don’t ban it, have serious consequence for doing it.
The same issue as with a cell phone can occur from changing radio channels, following Garmin, putting on makeup, eating, etc.
An actual value to cell phones is talking to folks while they drive and keeping them awake!
December 20th, 2011 at 9:20 am
Yes all cell phone use should be banned while driving. Have you sat at an intersection and counted all the drivers on the phones? It’s unbelievable. I have seen too many near misses, cars coming up to close to my bumper because they are on the cell phone. Drivers not seeing the green light to go, because they are on the cell phone.
December 20th, 2011 at 9:28 am
“call for a ban on the use of all electronic devices in vehicles, hand-held and hands-free”…does this include GPSs, radios/CD players, etc. as well? Texting should definitely be banned!! Making/answering calls with your hands should be banned. I like hands-free devices and the vehicles that have the capability of blue tooth…my opinion is that they are no more distracting than talking to a passenger in the vehicle, or eating while driving for that matter. I do not answer calls while driving nor make them…no call is more important than a life. As for GPSs, if someone else is in the vehicle, I let them read the directions or set new ones. If I’m alone, I study a map before going somewhere, and will pull over (rest stop, etc) to look it over or to mess with the GPS. It’s that simple, folks! I change the radio or CD song with a button on my steering wheel, but I know not all vehicles have this option. The big question is how would the law be enforced if the NTFB’s call to ban all use of electronic devices goes into effect? Seeing someone holding a phone is obvious; having a hands-free device is not. Will the police stop everyone they think are talking on a cell when they could actually be singing? It’s a tough choice!
December 20th, 2011 at 9:50 am
In a detailed report on distracted driving issued earlier this year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that only 995 deaths resulted from distraction by cell phones in 2010. The roads are actually getting safer, not more dangerous. The number of car accident fatalities has been dropping steadily for decades. In 1990, 44,599 people lost their lives in crashes. In 2010, 32,885 were killed — a decrease that is even more significant considering the rise in the total number of licensed drivers and cars on the road. According to the NHTSA, there were 1.7 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles driven in 1994, but only 1.14 in 2009, the lowest level in 60 years.
That is largely due to better safety equipment built into cars, but there are so many distractions - what about eating? Checking on yor child in the car seat in the back seat? Talking to your passengers? Is the nanny state going to regulate all of these activities, too? Then each person will be required to have his/her individual auto, so there can be NO TALKING inside the vehicles, and NO RADIOS or CDs, because the driver might choose to sing along and be distracted. Do you see where this is going?
December 20th, 2011 at 9:58 am
My wife was rear-ended by a driver who was using a cell phone-our car was totaled-and I was in a 4-car fenderbender due to a young woman on a cell phone. Ban them all. But, since the police can’t catch everyone, require police at every accident scene to examine all drivers’ cell phones, and anyone using one should become ineligible to receive insurance compensation.
December 20th, 2011 at 9:58 am
After facing repeated incidents caused by drivers on cell phones or texting I am in full support of the NTSB call for a ban. The only problem is in enforcing it which does not seem to be working in any of the states with laws outlawing the use already.
December 20th, 2011 at 10:04 am
cell phones should be banned from all modes of transportation. Hands free should be accepted because nowadays most vechiles come equiped & blue tooths are getting popular. Hands free is no worse than someone using their car radio, putting on makeup or even trying to read while driving.
December 20th, 2011 at 10:12 am
Great another law to regulate common sense.
December 20th, 2011 at 10:13 am
I would support a ban on texting while driving, and it being mandatory to have a hands free set up for phone usage. Cell phones have become a necessity in today’s lifestyles. However, they do have to be used with good judgement and responsibility.
December 20th, 2011 at 10:25 am
@ John Smith and all the rest of you who want to install devices to disable the phone when it travels above a certain MPH: what about train commuters? How about passengers in the vehicle who are legitimately texting or using their smartphone to conduct business or for pleasure while someone else drives? Tie it into the key, some have suggested. But Jane gets her car key/phone combination, and trades with husband Fred, thereby inactivating that safeguard. Again, it all comes down to personal responsibility - we need to teach people to take correct actions themselves, not rely on the government to do it for them and us.
December 20th, 2011 at 10:30 am
Ban them
December 20th, 2011 at 10:44 am
There will always be some sort of distraction while driving, other drivers, radios, changing CD’s, kids or other passengers. “NO TEXTING AT ALL” cell phones should be set up with a sort of motion device that will not allow it to operate when in motion such as driving. These devices while making our lives easier are killing us along with the insane people we texted. When harmless texting happens sure it’s convent but at who’s cost. Some people were not mint to text and chewing bubble gum at the same time. Since the general public does not have the sense God gave a Billy goat I say ban it.
December 20th, 2011 at 10:52 am
I think hands on cell phones should be banned. Yes I realize all other distracting events behind the wheel can be just as dangerous. Eating,drinking, self grooming,talking to those in the back seat etc.
Its just a fact our hand held technology has turned us into a race of Stupid Humans In Transit on the roads. I hate the word ban but from planes, trains and automobiles the cell phone kills. Look at us, we’ve become 80MPH pay phone booths on wheels.
December 20th, 2011 at 10:55 am
Scot Edward is right on.
In Maryland where I live (unfortunately) there are already laws regarding distracted driving. I suspect there are in most states. It is redundant and therefore wasteful to make more laws covering the same thing. No, I don’t think there should be laws specifically banning cell phone use. I don’t agree with texting while driving and it is just plain stupid to do it. I also don’t agree with holding a phone to your ear and driving one handed. But handsfree in any form seems perfectly reasonable to me and a wise person will keep it to a minimum. But stupidity seems to run rampant in our society, including in the making of new laws to take away our freedom.
December 20th, 2011 at 11:12 am
Ban only handheld talking and all texting. Unless we intend to also ban ANY talking by the driver, the use of a hands free device is no more dangerous than the driver talking with the passengers. As another post stated, there is not an attempt to ban other things that can cause a distraction while driving such as changing the channel on the radio, drinking a beverage (non-alcoholic), adjusting the seat or mirror or the many other things that a driver will normally do while driving. Maybe we need to remind drivers that they need to make a decision about what they do and when they do it and decide to only do something when it is safe. This decision could include NOT doing something while the vehicle is moving.
December 20th, 2011 at 11:31 am
Ban them. How? By $1000.00 fine and confiscating the phone if caught. There are enough distractions already happening when driving. Before cell phones we all were fine without them.
Charlie Brush, talking to a drowsy driver on a cell phone is not a value, it’s double the distaction.
Kal, you say “only 995 drivers were killed because of cell phones” like it’s no big deal. Those 995 drivers do mean something to the thousands of their family members and true Christians.
It’s to bad that a death to a family member (caused by somebody distracted by cell phone use while driving) of someone who is for not banning cell phone use while driving is what it will take for them to come to their senses
December 20th, 2011 at 12:37 pm
You can’t regulate EVERYTHING. Bad drivers are going to be bad drivers. distracted drivers are going to be distracted drivers. I’m not saying using cell phones while driving is a smart thing. Teach people to be better drivers and you might be on to something. I’ve seen how the DMV in my state (CA) hands out drivers licenses. Takes minimal skill to obtain one. You want to reduce the number of accidents, start there.
December 20th, 2011 at 12:38 pm
I think the burden should be put on the phone manufacturers and cell phone companies. I had heard the technology is available that would not permit texting while the phone is in motion. These corporate giants created the problem, they should fix it, especially for what they charge for monthly service charges.
December 20th, 2011 at 12:42 pm
Banning cell phones while driving seems to be just another in a continuing set of slippery slopes designed with our best interests at heart. Where does it end or will it? We have succumbed to the seat belt law, the reduced blood alcohol levels, the cigarette bans, the no fireworks laws, no candy or soft drinks in schools etc and now statistics show 1out of 3 people have been arrested in this country. We have become a nation of sheep led by the ignorant heading for the cliff of common sense. Next we will have mandatory health laws. You must not drink, you must belong to a gym, you cannot be more than 10% overweight, you must have a flu vaccine shot, you must do this, that, and this again. I’m sorry this nation is going down quickly in our own best interests.
December 20th, 2011 at 12:42 pm
While studies have shown that cellphones (handheld) do pose an increased risk due physically dialing/answering could cause a distraction, they have also shown that hands-free devices may not physically distract you, but there is cognative distraction since the human brain cannot truly “multi-task”.
My question is that when they do start addressing distracted driving, when will they remove billboards? Their sole purpose is to advertise (and by default distract ) you while your toolong down the highway at speeds of >55mph. Even more so now that they have electronic billboards vying for your attention!
December 20th, 2011 at 12:54 pm
I support ban on texting and hand held phone. Hands free operation is less distracting than adjusting a dash mounted radio, perhaps more distracting than a roadside billboard. It should be allowed. I talk hands free using a $5 plug in ear bud. Quite affordable.
In my opinion driving distracted is the same as driving while impared (drunk). I do not support the so called personal right to endanger others through irresponsible behaviors.
December 20th, 2011 at 12:58 pm
Chris
I do support the personal right to be totally self destructive so long as it does not endanger others.
I would draw the line where others are endangered by an individuals behavior.
December 20th, 2011 at 1:35 pm
Lawmakers tend to hunt the preverbal “Elephant”, or in many cases (like this) the perceived elephant, and tend not to tackle the issues that are the actual big-issue problems. They act as though making a law will solve the problem, when in fact that is usually a low impact solution to the problem. The only thing they really accomplish is that they (the law makers) get to say they’ve done something about the problem. The real challenge is to do what is necessary to make a real and long lasting change to behavior, not just make a law.
Look at drunk driving for example. We’ve had laws on the books for year to prevent drunk driving, yet it’s still a leading factor in many, MANY vehicle incidents. In fact, according to alcoholalert.com, 38% of all vehicular fatalities in the US in 2009 were alcohol related. Here is a case where we have laws, but yet the problem still exists. Yes, we’ve gone from 60% in 1982 down to 38%, but over ⅓ of all fatalities are still alcohol related. Lawmakers could pat themselves on the back and say they’ve done a great job of reducing the percentage, but I’m pretty sure that the families of the 12,744 people killed by drunk drivers in 2009 would argue that we haven’t done nearly enough. Since 1982 more than 550,000 people have died in alcohol related vehicle crashes and during that time laws have been in place in every state prohibiting drunk driving. Laws, in and of themselves, do not fix problems.
If the NTSB is serious about stopping vehicle crashes, how about we kick up the severity of driving while intoxicated. There are still way too many people dying because of drunk driving..!!! Compared to cell phone use (texting, web surfing, and talking) drunk driving is still a much bigger issue. It’s just not an easy one to tackle. It’s easy to pass a law and say “we’ve addressed the problem” than it is to fix the real issues that are killing people.
This is just another case of politicians jumping up and down…
December 20th, 2011 at 3:41 pm
I don’t agree with making a law to ban using a cell phone while driving. Please understand, I don’t use mine while I’m driving because it isn’t safe. However, I hate the idea of a nanny state where we’re banned from doing everything under the sun. There should be some amount of self-control regarding this and everything else.
I have no problem with insurance companies stating that they won’t pay for accidents that may be attributed to by cell phone use while driving.
December 20th, 2011 at 3:54 pm
“The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the initial Gray Summit collision was distraction, likely due to a text messaging conversation being conducted by the GMC pickup driver, which resulted in his failure to notice and react to a Volvo tractor that had slowed or stopped in response to a queue that had developed in a work zone. The second collision, between the lead school bus and the GMC pickup, was the result of the bus driver’s inattention to the forward roadway, due to excessive focus on a motorcoach parked on the shoulder of the road. The final collision was due to the driver of the following school bus not maintaining the recommended minimum distance from the lead school bus in the seconds preceding the accident. Contributing to the severity of the accident was the lack of forward collision warning systems on the two school buses.”
The two bus drivers weren’t on the phone, and there wouldn’t have been a single death in this incident had they not been involved. The guy in the pickup was sending and receiving text messages up to the point of hitting the Tractor in the work zone. His fault. What’s the excuse for the bus drivers not paying attention and how is a cell phone law going to keep them from rear-ending someone else?
The guy driving the pickup died. He was the one they said was texting. If he didn’t realize that his texting was going to lead to his death, do you really think a nearly unenforceable law would keep him from doing it?
December 20th, 2011 at 5:04 pm
Don’t get me wrong as I am not for drunk driving. But you cannot compare drunk driving to driving while using a cell phone. If a person is driving drunk his or her brain has been impaired (posioned) and they do not know what they are doing. Drivers using a cell phone most likely aren’t impaired especially when working. They know better but continue to do it regardless of the risk to others. Banning cell phone use while driving will save lives and it’s a step in the right direction. I don’t know why people are against saving lives. Hopefully if you see a drunk person getting behind the wheel you’ll try to do something about it instead of just letting them go.
December 20th, 2011 at 9:54 pm
I am adamently apposed to the ban. We fought it once here already in my state and I am planning to do so again. I can accept the texting ban, but not the cellphones.
December 21st, 2011 at 8:59 am
In crashes, most people die from head wounds. Is the transpiration board going to recommend we all wear helmets when we drive? Well, I guess you can’t hold up a cell phone to your ear then
December 21st, 2011 at 10:53 am
What no one has commented on is the studies that are being used to ferment this ridiculous type of legislation. It has recently been reported that these studies were overly ambitious in their estimation of causality of crashes due to cell phone use. See - http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45641918/ns/health-health_care/t/studies-may-have-overestimated-cellphone-crash-risk/
Once again we are going to use bad science (As in anthropogenic Global Warming) to regulate something that doesn’t need regulating in the first place. As has been poined out by several commentators it is distractions not the device. The crash statistics do not bear out that there are more crashes since the advent of the handheld cell phone.
December 21st, 2011 at 11:30 am
Russ W, Did you not read the article on the site you posted for everyone. It states “It May Have” and they are only talking about two studies. The rest have come to the conclusion that cell phone use while driving did result in an increase of fatallities. It also doesn’t state that the “Studies were overly ambitious in their estimate of causalities” as you stated. C’mon now. State the facts next time. I don’t know why you people have an addiction for cellphones. It’s just an object. You should have an addiction for saving other peoples lives which this ban would do.
December 21st, 2011 at 1:08 pm
I travel extensively and see how different states enforce laws, many are judicious while others don’t care. I see the same on airlines as each crew enforces safety rules differently. Many of the posts are right on, a law will not solve the problem, it will need a cultural change. And with the electronic world moving as fast as it is, culture doesn’t have a chance.
If I knew how to make this a reality, I wouldn’t be writing to this blog, I would own it and a lot more! The only way we can influence change is to set the example and teach the next generation. We are so over the top with this that no law would change what millions are doing. Many still speed, drink and drive, use cell phones, etc. until they get caught and still we see liittle change if any at all.
Set the example and maybe some will follow.
December 21st, 2011 at 2:03 pm
I agree with the bans on hand held devices and texting while driving. But to ban the use of cell phones utilizing a hands free device is going too far. The use of a hands free device is no more distracting than listening to a talk radio station while driving… maybe we should ban those too?
December 21st, 2011 at 2:04 pm
Why is this such a big issue, we have had car crashs since cars were mass produced. There are several ways to become distracted while driving maybe we should ban cars.
December 21st, 2011 at 3:31 pm
how about the police and highway patrol using their cell phones, radios, and laptops while driving down the road???
I have actually seen a police officer stopped at a red light using his laptop, the car beside him acted like it was taking off from the light and the officer proceeded to run through the red light because he was typing on his laptop not paying attention to the actual light, he thought the other car was going so he just jumped right on out in the intersection, luckily nobody hit him!!
December 22nd, 2011 at 9:22 am
I don’t know why the police are always mentioned in an negative way. Sure some do not utilize the equipment they have properly but they need that stuff to do their job. Which is protecting the people, enforcing the laws, responding to emergencies, etc.
Some of you opposed to the ban mention all these other distractions. Well don’t you think there are enough distractions without adding one more. The stupid cell phone is a distraction that has been proven to injure and kill people while in use by drivers. Could somebody please find me a study on radio use, crying children, or a billboard glance causing casualties. Next you’ll be opposed to street signs, city limit signs, stop signs, etc.
I don’t understand why you who are opposed to the ban let cell phones control your lives. “I need to text”, “I need to make this call”, “Oh my, I need to charge my battery or I’ll be without my phone”, “I must answer this call right away”. Think about it. Your letting a cell phone control your life.
If you cannot go thru one day without making a meaningless call or text, you are controlled by your cell phone. So sad.
December 22nd, 2011 at 1:38 pm
Willy, I love your passionate diatribe, however you will find that the old “Burma Shave” series of signs were removed some 30-40 years ago because of their distraction to drivers. The head of the National Safety Council went on record and to Congress asking to ban Cell Phones while driving because statistically speaking the other distractions such as radio, etc. were thought to be a contributing factor in crashes but never identified, until the sharp increase in such crashes and documentation relative to talking and texting. Up to that point distractions were not part of documented accident investigations.
Usually “You should see what the other guy did” when referring to Police and their use of modern electronics is a justification for people to bend the law, so to speak. The old days of a Police Officer seeing a suspicious vehicle and calling a dispatch to run plates has been changed so the unit is basically self-sufficient, often information about kidnappings, stolen vehicles, etc. are displayed and response is significantly better. Granted, many push the envelope a little, along with the throttle, and are driving distracted, but also many take advantage of a Stop light to use their “office” equipment.
Cell phones are ruling our lives. I know one Senior VP of a very large company that refused to use a cell phone because it would impede in his life away from work. He was soon pushed into early retirement because as a VP he has to be available, and the umbilical of a cell phone still remains a vital part of management, like it or not. I don’t believe we will ever get away from the cell phone and driving because of the business application, but I get very rubbed by the same talking on the phone, texting, putting on makeup, reading a map or book, and extremely upset when watching a guy driving a vehicle with a monitor set on the dash in front of the passenger seat, watching movies!
Happy and Safe Holidays
December 22nd, 2011 at 3:43 pm
Maybe the poll on the right should have been titled:
“Can you use your cell phone safely while driving?”
I see cell phone use rampant in my daily life. My drive to work, a short 5 miles, usually results in me spotting 3-4 people driving and talking on a cell phone. How many wrecks have I seen in the 3 years I have been at my current job? 0.
Point is, people are allowed to make 1,000s of risk-reward decisions every day. You cannot single out cell phone use and say that it is dangerous at all times, that’s flat out wrong.
December 22nd, 2011 at 4:25 pm
my point is, if they ban cell phone use they need to ban laptops, including police, fire, and EMS.
What is good for the normal citizen is good for all. How can a police officer pull you over for talking on a cell phone when he climbs out of the car talking on one too? It’s just like an officer just cruising around driving 10 or 12 MPH over the speed limit not going to an emergency, pulls you over for speeding. If they aren’t running code or going to an emergency situation, obey the speed limit just like all is supposed to do.
If the emergency services need to use a cell phone or laptop to do their job, pull off the road and stop to do it.
I have been in the emergency response before and radio communications isn’t that distracting due to you are usually only talking on one channel or two enroute to the scene. It is different than trying to dial a phone or look up and address.
December 22nd, 2011 at 4:50 pm
Jim, If they do ban them for everyone regardless of who you are, are you still going to sneak arouind and use yours while driving?
Guest, risk your own life taking chances instead of other people lives. Life isn’t only about people who only think of themselves.
July 31st, 2012 at 1:07 pm
In the event of accident all parties should be required to undergo certain checks, including drug and alcohol testing, and record drawing of the driver and passengers cell phone activity at the time of the incident. Where there is non-compliance with the law, the driver guilty of a violation, should lose insurance coverage and their license and pay direct restitution to the parties who suffered losses in the event.