Why are so many people worried about drivers and cell phones?

Question

Why not all of the other things that are distracting?

Kids yelling screaming, bouncing around
eating
reading
shaving
putting on makeup
messing with the radio
talking to passengers
etc, etc, etc.

Answer 1

exactly!!! I can still look at the road when I'm talking on a cell phone. My friend, on the other hand, has a toddler who constantly screams from the backseat so she's constantly turning around and swerving all over the road!!! I keep telling her, "LET HIM SCREAM!!!" It sure beats killing him and her in an accident. Not to mention the fact that since cell phone bans have went into effect, I see more people doing what appears to be texting while they're driving and I think that is WAY more dangerous!!!

Answer 2

Obviously there are other factors that can affect someones driving and concentration.

If you are doing any of the items in your list while driving - and end up cutting someone off, or swerving around out of control, and a cop sees you - he will immediately pull you over and cite you for it.

For some reason though - talking on a cell phone can become much more of a distraction than even most of the items on that list - if a person gets deep in conversation they can become very nonattentive, and dangerous.

Once you have a woman pull onto the interstate and swerve across three lanes of traffic and nearly cause you to end up swerving into an 18 wheeler to avoid hitting them (and all you see in their car is their hand holding up a cell phone) then you start to see the problem a little more clearly. Though I'm sure I've had some near misses (and some that weren't misses) due to other distractions (both on my part, and other peoples parts).

Answer 3

Those are all valid distractions, however, people on cell phones are a distraction that can be easily eliminated. More to the point if someone is talking on a cell phone, they are probably doing other things in addition to driving, such as taking notes or passing info to other passengers.

Clearly, you can't eliminate all distractions a driver faces, but some are easier to eliminate than others. A cell phone isn't a necessity while driving, nobody is so important that they need to be contacted while driving.

Answer 4

Yes. Agreed some of those other things can be just as dangerous as using cell phones.

The kid problem is frequent. Discipline of course is the answer there.

Eating doesn't have to be a problem...depends on what is being eaten and how.

Reading...A BIG NO NO.

Shaving...That's one I've never seen before.

Putting on makeup is another dangerous activity. Just as bad as cell phone use.

Messing with the radio doesn't have to be dangerous. I can mess with my radio by feel just fine and my attention does not suffer.

Talking to passengers isn't a problem unless you are turning around to talk to them or something. Just as talking on a hands-free phone would not be a problem either.

Anything that distracts a driver's attention from his driving duties is potentially dangerous. But rather than make umpteen nit-picky laws describing all of these distractions, simply use the reckless driving catch-all to address these violations.

Answer 5

Cell phone use while driving appears to be the MOST CHRONICALLY violated principle of the ones you listed. It causes the most angst of all for other drivers.
All listed distractions are hazards.
Personally, I shave while on the way to work, but ONLY while I'm stopped at traffic lights. (They are a total waste of time anyway. May as well do SOMETHING.)
The only thing I do while driving is sip coffee.
Personally, I refuse to use my cell phone while driving. All my phone conversations are NOT of a casual nature and require too much attention to permit dividing my attention between cell phone use and driving. It IS dangerous as well as aggravating to all who are delayed by crappy drivers. In Traffic, that constitutes BAD MANNERS!

YES. It should be restricted by legal means.

Answer 6

Yes, the other things are a distraction too, but cell phones are a unique hazard. Just because people do other stupid things doesn't mean we should tolerate drivers who are being needlessly risky with cellphones. I canot see any rational argument not to ban all cell phones in cars except handsfree units, as it will save lives and it doesn't cost that much. Why would you be opposed to saving lives with very simple legislation?

Answer 7

Those other things ARE distracting! ANYTHING that takes your concentration off your driving and the road is dangerous. The reason most people (myself included) are concerned is the sheer amount of cell phones being used while driving. Numbers matter.

Answer 8

Because the cell phone distraction is 100% avoidable, just turn it off.

You are aware that there have been several studies that have proven talking on a cell phone is nearly as bad as driving drunk.

Answer 9

all of those are legitimate concerns and you are right for bringing them to our attention. cells phones i believe to be a different animal. the people who are not yelling at kids, eating, reading, shaving, putting on make up, messing with the radio, or taking to passengers, ARE BLABBING ON THEIR CELL PHONES. cell phones are the final layer of inattention while driving. it encompasses just about everyone else on the road. it is not possible to multi task though society would like to believe that is it is. it may look like you are multi tasking, but you really are not for when you take up another task whatever else you were doing no longer gets the attention it was getting. that's a reality. they quality of any task is diminished greatly if you begin to do something else on top of it. if you think about it you will know what i say is true.

Answer 10

With college bus drivers, it is not a rely of regulation, yet maximum heavily a rely of judgment. regardless of regulation, college coverage will likely dictate that cellular telephone utilization isn't accepted mutually as accountable for the protection of youthful passengers. i do no longer think that cellular telephone utilization mutually as making use of must be unlawful, yet I DO agree that cellular telephones are very distracting and distractions may be tragic while youngster's lives are in touch. i might recommend looking out from the Superintendent of faculties on your college district what their coverage is and, if it incredibly is a violation, checklist it. If it is not a violation, perhaps a bypass to to the month-to-month college board assembly may be a reliable time to introduce a theory to alter it.