Should cell phone use while driving be banned

http://www.examiner.com/x-33782-Ann-Arbor-Christianity--Culture-Examiner~y2010m2d18-Should-cell-phone-use-while-driving-be-banned ^ | February 18, 2010 | Kevin Fobbs

[Kfobbs]

Traffic safety is typically the reason given by municipal or state legislative leaders when there is a consideration to ban the use of cell phones and texting while driving. The NCS announced in January that it estimates approximately 28 percent of all traffic crashes – or at least 1.6 million crashes each year – are caused by drivers using cell phones and texting.”

Think about that when you or your teenage driver is taking a minute while driving to text or take your attention away from oncoming traffic. It could be...

[brownsfan]

I normally am against more laws, but in this case, YES!

[stuartcr]

Yes, but it won’t be, and probably couldn’t be enforced on a large scale.

[libertarian27]

Distracted Driver laws are already on the books.

Nickel and Dime laws are ridiculous.
A distraction is a distraction, when can we look forward to singing along with the radio becoming a felony?

[sticker]

Are you going to ban: Eating while driving, Listening to the radio, Changing CDs, Talking to any passengers? In other works do you favor banning anything that someone might do that could cause a person to not be concentrating on driving every second?

[sticker]

There are those of us whose singing(attempt) is considered a MAJOR felony, even if we are alone :)

[svcw]

A study just released said that the states that have had bans for two years have had no measurable decrease in accidents. It is not the cell phone use in and of itself, it is distractions in general. What next to be banned - eating, radio, crying kids strapped in car seats?

[Star Traveler]

Absolutely yes... I don’t want some freak texting and/or yapping away — and running into me... because he wasn’t looking around...

[DYngbld]

NO, but your phone number should be required to be your license plate number. So I call you and tell how bad your are driving.

[brownsfan]

“Are you going to ban: “

I have been run off the road, almost hit many times, observed swerving, irratic driving, and general lack of control of the vehicle. The number of events I’d guess to be 50 total in the last year. That’s a conservative guess. A few times it was just someone not paying attention, but I’d estimate that fully 80% of those events involved a cell phone. When something like that happens, I try to get a glimpse of the driver to see what the problem is. I’d call 911 for a drunk.

It’s been proven that talking or texting on a cell is as dangerous as drunk driving.

Want to talk on your cell? Pull over.

[OpusatFR]

Yes. Every single driver who came close to rear-ending me as I was making a turn was on a cell phone. I’m fanatical about turning on my signal well before a turn because of these people and they still don’t see it!

[petitfour]

I get so irritated when I see others driving with cell phones plastered to their ears. However, I drive just fine when I’m talking on one. :-)

[Bitsy]

Yes. While driving to and from work, I see so many people driving with the cell phone glued to their ear and they seem oblivious to their driving. Young women especially, just chatting away to the BFFs most likely about Nothing really relevant just aggravates me to death. I am a woman so don't bash me it happens to be the truth.

[-YYZ-]

I think at least some people can talk on a phone while driving fairly safely, particularly if it’s hands free. Texting while driving is another whole level of driving stupidity, and should be punished comparably to DUI, IMO. How anyone can think that they can drive safely while looking at a little screen and punching stuff in, I don’t know. That’s like reading a book or watching TV while driving - stupid beyond belief.

[Russ]

I hope you or someone you love is never killed by some careless fool distracted by their cell phone, quarter pounder w/cheese, or their CD player. Government is supposed to provide for the general welfare of its citizens and this is as good a place as any to be involved in.

[dmz]

Want to talk on your cell? Pull over.

<><><><><><

Legislating common sense? Has that ever worked?

[Joe 6-pack]

Driver’s tests should consist simply of having a large, buzzy, non-stinging insect suddenly introduced to the driver’s area while negotiating a race track at 60-70 mph. Driver’s who can maintain their lane and speed while clearing the insect from the vehicle get to drive any way they want to. Those who don’t fail.

[mbynack]

Two weeks ago I was stopped at a traffic light on a four lane highway. I was about 10 cars back in the left lane and the right lane only had about 7 or 8 cars in it. We had been stopped for well over a minute when I saw a woman come flying up in the right lane at 50 mph. I looked into her car as she drove past and she was texting and not looking in front of her. She slammed into the back of the line of cars next to me and wrecked at least three cars.

When I get behind someone who is weaving or in the left lane poking along at the same speed as the car next to them, it's usually a safe bet that they're on the cell phone. I think it's a lot more common than drunk driving and just as dangerous. It's sad that we need to pass a law to get people to stop engaging in behavior that is risky to themselves and others. They should know better.

[biff]

There has been an unusual increase of highway speed head-on collisions here locally, most resulting in multiple deaths. I would bet a C note that texting was involved with alot of them.

[AppyPappy]

Only for women