Given the horrible increase in accidents caused by cell phones, shouldn't they be illegal while driving?

Question

Cell phone use has become the single largest cause of auto accidents, apart from drinking, in the country. Many states have already outlawed the use of hand-held phones while driving. Since Big Brother has already enacted laws "for our safety" involving seat belts, shouldn't this law be next?

Answer 1

maybe we should ban alcohol period. we should allow the government to control what we eat what we drink and who we speak to. we have enough laws restricting us. we don't need another.

Answer 2

Most states already have an equivalent of Careless Driving statute on the books. Using a cell phone and operating a motor vehicle in a careless manner may already fall under the law. Or the current law could be amended. People using a cell phone and being involved in an accident should most certainly be charged with careless driving. Proving, in Court, that people are driving and talking on the cell phone will be tough! I would guess that without video tape there would almost never be a conviction.

Answer 3

Seat belts are definetely for our safety!

If you're not wearing a seatbelt and get hit, you're going to fly out the window or into the backseat and not have control of the wheel meaning that the car can careen into someone else but if you were wearing you're seatbelt you'd be hit but still be in your seat to grab the wheel before it did anymore damage!!! I don't think big brother has ANYTHING to do with seat belt laws, seat belts save lives because of the way they work in a crash and it's common sense to make safety a top concern for our laws.

As far as talking on cell phones, I think every state should continue to decide on this by voters, I don't think it should be a national law because, like everyone else I multitask and sometimes I just don't have time to pullover and make a quick call.

Answer 4

Actually cell phone use is farther down the line on the main causes of car accidents. 98% of car accidents have been caused by a distracted driver. The main causes of these "distracted" accidents are as following (in order from biggest cause to smallest cause)

1. Rubbernecking (looking at other car accidents, police pullovers, anything like that)

2. Fatigued drivers

3. Looking at Scenery or landmarks

4. Passenger or child distractions

5. adjusting radio or other music form

6. Cellphone use.

There are other causes, but these are the notable ones. In reality, alcohol use is still the main cause of traffic collisions but is noted by the goverment as 'an accident' but rather as a crime and is also counted as the number 2 reason for distraction (passing out and all).

The law to ban cell phone use has been debated about for years, and if, as you say, it is the number 2 cause, why hasn't it been enforced? It hasn't because cellphone use is only a negligable cause of distraction at 5%. Being that only 25% of people on cell phones get into accidents this brings the percentage of accidents caused by cellphones to 1.1%.

Even though the accidents seem minimum it still attributes to over 200,000 injuries due to traffic accidents a year! In most of the cases another driver was involved and it wasn't because of reckless driving on the cellphone users part or lack of control that the accident happened (in most cases). Cellphone use makes a 35 year old driver have the reaction time of a senoir citizen, dropping their reaction time to hitting the breaks by 18%, and there regaining spped time (from braking) by 17%. Most cell phone related accidents are caused by another reckless driver and the cellphone user not being able to react in time.

So there's your statistics. In my opinion, yes, cell phones should be outlawed. But in all fairity if they are then so should passengers, children, animals, looking out your drivers side window when not turning or braked, rubbernecking, music, and being tired while driving.

EDIT: It has been found that there is no difference between regular cellphones and hands-free cell phones and the accidents caused by them. It is the distraction not the occupying of the hands that is a problem.

Answer 5

In the UK, with effect from 1 December 2003, new regulations came into force that prohibits a person from using a hand held mobile phone, or an interactive hand held device used for accessing data, while driving.

The offence is committed if a person uses a hand held mobile phone whilst driving, or causes or permits another person to do so. A person may be regarded as driving if the engine is running, even if the vehicle is stationary - 'driving' will be inferred if it can be shown that the vehicle has stopped temporarily during the course of a journey. In addition to making and receiving calls, the offence also includes making or receiving text messages.

A person will be liable for causing or permitting a person to use a hand held mobile phone or similar device whilst driving. This means that:

employers will be liable if they require employees to use a hand held mobile phone whilst driving
employers may be liable if they fail to forbid employees to use hand held mobile phones whilst driving

Answer 6

I believe that they should be illegal. They cause a lot of accidents just like you said and they also cause distractions which could lead to an accident. When someone has a cell phone their focus isnt always on the road part of it is on either answering the phone, talking on the phone, or maybe even texting while they are driving. So I believe it should be illegal and should be teh next law.

Answer 7

Perhaps, but unfortunately there would probably be too much opposition. Most people enjoy talking on their cells while driving and would not appreciate, let alone vote, to have them outlawed.

There are ways to control this. Problems like this hve surfaced before and we have always found ways to deal with them. There is a solution, I'm sure of it.

Most likely the best way to prevent accidents would be to get rid of hand helds so that drivers can keep both hands on the wheel. Hopefully, phones built into every car are next.

Answer 8

I couldn't agree more. A lot of people can multitask, driving and talking at the same time. However, a lot of people can't, especially ones that get so engrossed in their conversations. I live in California, and we don't have a law here, but I definitely think we should. I lived in New York awhile, and they strictly enforce the rule there. It is a great idea that should be adopted by all states. People can always use headsets if they need to make a really important telephone call, or they can pull over to the side.

Answer 9

It is a law in N.Y but i still see people talking on cell phones and driveing. Although people have been pulled over by police for it just like the seat belt law some people figure that the odds are against them getting caught.

Answer 10

California just passed a law making it illegal to use a cell phone without a hands free device or using the phones speakerphone ability. This law will take effect July 1 of 2008

http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2006/09/california_bans.html

There are several other states with similar laws already in existence, New York I believe if one of them.

Answer 11

I think that you should be able to have a cell phone in the car for emergencies but if you must make a call pull over somewhere and away from traffic and driving. For that matter anything that is a distraction should not be used in the car while driving. Keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the steering wheel.