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Automotive News & Views Should cell phone drivers be singled out?
3688 messages, Last post on Oct 27, 2009 at 11:39 AM
You are in the Automotive News & Views Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & claires
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Safety Group Calls for Total Ban On Cellphone Use While Driving A national safety group is advocating a total ban on cellphone use while driving, saying the practice is clearly dangerous and leads to fatalities. States should ban drivers from using handheld and hands-free cell phones, and businesses should prohibit employees from using cell phones while driving on the job, the congressionally chartered National Safety Council says, taking those positions for the first time. The group's president and chief executive, Janet Froetscher, likened talking on cellphones to drunken driving, saying cellphone use increases the risk of a crash fourfold. "When our friends have been drinking, we take the car keys away. It's time to take the cell phone away," Ms. Froetscher said in interview. No state currently bans all cell phone use while driving. Six states -- California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Utah and Washington -- and the District of Columbia ban the use of handheld cellphones behind the wheel, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Also, 17 states and the district restrict or ban cellphone use by novice drivers. .....What makes cellphone use distinct from other risky driving behaviors, Ms. Froetscher said, is the magnitude -- there are 270 million cellphone users in the U.S. and 80% of them talk on the phone while driving. The line I homed in on, of course, was this one, being said out loud for the first time by advocates of the ban: The Governors Highway Safety Association agreed that cellphone use while driving is dangerous, but said it would be difficult to enforce a ban. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which is funded by auto insurers, said banning all cellphone use "makes sense based on the research," but agreed that enforcement will be difficult. They believe it will take years, but yes, those Bluetooths you all rushed out to buy will ALSO be illegal before the end of the next decade... ....and eating your fast food dinner while trying to control the kids and change the CD in the dash will still all be perfectly legal... Common sense truly is dead. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123170801180171839.html
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Replying to: nippononly (Jan 12, 2009 6:53 am) The "hard to enforce" position of some is only excuse making. With education campaigns about the ban on tv, radio, internet, billboards, print media, etc., the public will be well informed about the ban and will find out that driving and talking on cell phone is the same as drunk driving. Driving public already has been well informed over the years about drunk driving through the media. They will similarly find out about the dangers and irresonsibility of cell phone driving. Perhaps car insurance companies can start to get involved by putting in clauses in policies that diminish some coverage if a cell phone using driver causes a crash. Would also hope that cell phone service providers jump in with their support. Just like beer company commercials stressing responsible use of their product in tv commercials, cell providers could have commercials to stress driver use of cell phones while safely and legally "parked."
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Replying to: xrunner2 (Jan 12, 2009 7:32 am)
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Replying to: nippononly (Jan 12, 2009 6:53 am) 
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Replying to: nippononly (Jan 12, 2009 8:03 am)
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Replying to: xrunner2 (Jan 12, 2009 5:34 pm)  Distracted drivers of all types need to start showing some responsibility...that's the genuine issue...but few seem to have the fortitude to face this. Not to mention congress is in one hell of a position to hold anyone accountable for anything... 
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Replying to: fintail (Jan 12, 2009 6:00 pm) I have used cell phone while driving in the distant past and know that it is like drunk driving and not equivalent to eating a cookie.
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Replying to: xrunner2 (Jan 12, 2009 6:15 pm)  And then there are drinks, ICE, kids and other passengers, makeup/grooming, laptops...
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Replying to: fintail (Jan 12, 2009 6:58 pm) I agree Congressional hearings are in order. Maybe the new administration will take this up. |
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Show us the increased accident statistics and then put it to a vote. If cell phones cause more accidents decreased cell phones "have' to show a decrease in accidents. I question if our congress will attack the cell phone industry in this economy? Maybe if they do pass a law they can also offer a several billion dollar bail out for loss caused by government intervention like they are doing for the auto industry. But I would still like to see the people get a vote in the issue. Once on the ballot they have to show the cost to enforce and the cost in lost taxes because of what the industry pays. It would also be nice if they showed how many accidents have happened or how many will be reduced by such a law. |
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