Do you think it is right that some states are making it illegal to talk on cell phones while driving??

Question

Do you think that people should be able to talk on the phone at any time. What if it is an emergency. What if your driving and someone shot you in the side is it then okay to make a call??

Answer 1

Guess I'll be the lone dissenter. No, it's not. There are already laws in place against reckless driving, so for those drivers who are such bad drivers that they are distracted, the laws in place should cover it. Thus, it's redundant.

Personally, I think if you can't drive and talk at the same time, you have no business driving in the first place.

While it's true that cell phones are a distraction, so are: smoking, drinking coffee, eating, changing the radio station, or CD's, checking your GPS, etc, etc. Until all of those activities are banned, a ban on cell phones is pointless.

Answer 2

Absolutely Fair all states should implement this. You can not pay attention to the road and your phone at the same time. Studies have been done that show cell phone drivers are just as dangerous as drunk drivers.
In these studies one test group was drinking the other talking on cell phones. The cell phone drivers hit more cones and posed a larger threat in some studies than the drunk driver.
In other studies they hit just as many cones and posed just as lethal a threat.
None of the studies deemed them safe to operate a vehicle while speaking on a cell phone.
Nothing is so important that you can not pull over to side of the road to talk.
Not to mention your ridiculous argument of "what if someone shot me while I was driving?"
If that really happened there is a 90% Chance that you would no longer be able to operate your vehicle much less your cell phone. In the case of an emergency it is suggested that you pull over to where it is safe and call 911 so that you do not add to an already horrible situation.
Cell phones do come with voice mail you can call who ever it is back.

Answer 3

I certainly do. Very rarely do I talk on mine while driving and actually I normally have the ringer off. I see way too many drivers paying zero attention to everything going on around them while they are on the phone. Not to mention, a few years back in this area, a young woman was too busy searching for her ringing cell phone while driving and didn't notice the stopped bus with flashing red lights until she nailed (and killed) a little boy getting off the bus.

Added scenario you put out there - let's see...someone shot me in the side...so, not only am I being distracted by talking on the cell phone while driving...I've also got this tremendous pain in my side to keep my mind somewhere else besides the road. Sure thing. Not only am I putting myself at risk, but all those around me.

Answer 4

A study was done that showed that you are more likely to be in an accident talking on the phone than if you are driving drunk.

I think most people have had some close call with a person talking on the phone while driving. I know I've had several myself. So yes, for public safety make the law.

Answer 5

I think that it is morally right that the State prohibits talking on mobile phones whilst driving. It is good practice, is reasonable, a legitimate expectation, and it reflects society's standards of what standards of duty of care people have towards one another now and the preventive measures that we should all legitimately expect drivers take to prevent accidents. Some say it may be economically wrong, but the relatively small economic costs of banning this activity have to be balanced against the economic costs and damage that would occur if the mobile user were to recklesslessly take someone else's life, and cause physical damage to person and to property.

Answer 6

Yes, cell phones are a huge distraction and too many drivers refuse to invest in a $30 hands free set that would make driving and talking safe.

I am not sure about you, however when I am on the road, I do prefer to share it with drivers who are paying attention to what they are doing.

If you need to take a call you can pull over, invest in a hands free set or call back later. There is no call important enough to put fellow drivers in danger.

Answer 7

Even with a hands free phone, it is dangerous because you are talking to someone not in the car and it is still distracting. Sometimes, just talking to someone right there in the car is distracting, so down with cell phones in the car, unless it is an emergency, like a breakdown, or wreck!!!!

Answer 8

Yes. And the argument that it's like talking to someone next to you in the car is specious. A mobile phone is distracting, has been proven to be so, sadly by a multitude of deaths. Having had the dubious pleasure of driving in the land of the free I'd say you need all the help you can get.

Here's a little article on the subject

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1885775.stm

Answer 9

Yes, there are thousands of accidents that can be attributed to cell phone use. When your attention is distracted you are not as safe behind the wheel. This is one thing that can be controlled.


Some studies suggest the use of cell phone actually quadruple your chance of an accident. In 2003 there were 2600 traffic fatalities and 330,000 injuries attributed to cell phone usage/distractions.

Answer 10

YES YES YES
What is so important that someone cannot either pull over and talk or wait a few minutes to get to where they are going?
I have seen a man driving in front of me weaving all over the road and when I finally was able to pass him I saw he was on the phone with one hand, drinking coffee with the other and steering with his knees.

Answer 11

It should be illegal everywhere. Far too many accidents are caused by people not concentrating on the road but on their phone. Here in the UK it is already illegal - unfortunately, not many people seem to realise this. I often see people driving whilst using their phone/smoking/drinking/reading map.