Cell phones while driving or not?

Lynne Lefler 1950

http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=131336049516&h=M3koD&u=iHN_a&ref=nf

Here is a good article on scientific testing of drivers using cell phones.

In my opinion, cell phones should be banned while the vehicle is moving, or while temporarily stopped in a traffic lane. (Such as at a red light.) Pull off the road and stop the vehicle before answering or making a cell phone call. And it's a no-brainer that reading a text message, or texting should NEVER be attempted by the driver of a moving vehicle. Would you read a book while driving? Criminy!

Unknown Brain 1236

I believe it's ok... as long as you aren't holding the phone...

Like say you have speaker phone or the phone plugged into your car...

Because i mean... you are allowed to talk to other passengers in the car... is this any different?

The only hazard i see is driving 1 hand while talking.

Or maybe even dialing the numbers.. but then again you adjust the radio and AC dials so....

Megan Faucett New Brain

i think it should be banned. i live in indiana and if u r under 18 ur not aloud to be on ur phone, but i think that is unfair because just as many people who r over 18 get in accidents

Neil Brown New Brain

too dangerous, dont do it

Ben Conver 1294

Grant it there are many other bigger concerns in this world than 'talking while driving' or for the sake of this conversation we will just give it its own acronym (TWD), however there really isn't in the larger picture anything worse than hearing about a child dyeing in a car accident. Being someone who has been in a major car accident and has received 'Life saving assistance' I cant being to use words to describe how terrible and life changing a car accident can be. Sometimes there are things in our life that we have no control over, but this subject is something we could have more control of. If there is substantial evidence to suggest that car accidents can be reduced by not allowing us to TWD then by all means lets make it a punishable offense. We have all lost people that are close to us in our lives, can you imagine how angry you would be if you found out your loved one could have been saved if the driver at fault was not on their cell phone? I dont want to even fathom that answer because it would eat me apart. By the same token the amount of guilt someone would feel to know they killed or seriously injured a child because they were not fully paying attention to the road due to TWD. So if you think that it is an invasion of our rights to be told that we cant TWD then I'm sorry to say, and please do get offended, but you need better things to worry about. I cant think of a situation where a phone call could be so important that you couldnt pull off the road and answer it. So in retrospect I would vote to make it illegal if, and like I said, there is substantial evidence to suggest that lives could be saved by making TWD illegal....brake up into small groups and discuss ;-)

Kevin Copenhaver 2371

I cannot say I am for banning cellphone usage whilst driving. I understand that a LOT of people abuse the right to do so by being idiots and trying to text or whatnot, but I think it would be like banning radios from cars because some people sit there and fumble around trying to change CDs with both hands. Furthermore, there are quite a few jobs where you HAVE to be able to answer your phone whilst you are driving. For instance, I do inspections on foreclosed houses and when we get a new property, we HAVE to have it done that business day, so while I am driving to and from properties I have to be able to answer my phone to see what new properties we have gotten. I am responsible about it, I keep my phone under my leg at all times on vibrate so I do not have to try to go through my pockets and I wait until I am at a red light to enter the new address into my GPS.

Really, they should just make it a common sense issue. I think a cop should have the right to write you a ticket if you are on your phone, eating a chili dog, and drinking a soda. If you answer your phone without taking your eyes off the road, then he shouldn't. Same thing applies for ANY actions you perform in a car other than driving. People just need to be more conscientious of the road and the people around them.

I have been doing my job for 5 months now and drive around 2,500 miles a month. I have yet to be in a wreck, to swerve off the road, or to come close to being in an accident due to me answering my phone. They need to just make a DUID law (Driving Under the Influence of Distractions). if you are .09% or more distracted you get a ticket, otherwise you are good to go :P

Unknown Brain 1892

I remember when it was acceptable (and normal) to be sitting in the back of a pick-up truck, in the bed while driving. It was fun!!. People now would absolutely freak out. Realistically, it would be safer to be in the back bed of a truck going down the freeway, then in the passenger seat while the driver is texting.

I'm 100% PRO banning cellphones while driving. How've ya been des?

Cameron Trickey 2333

Ban the shit out of it! My brother lost his license with his final points coming from using his cell phone while driving, and even though I had to drive him around for 6 months, I still think it's the right thing. My cat was runover by one our best friends because she was texting while driving past our house too.

It's a no brainer with cell phones as you can observe how badly people drive when they pick the phone up. I'll accept hands free. It is not an invasion of our privacy or oppression by the government (frankly we should be more concerned by the fact that they're listening to our conversations), but anything that makes driving more dangerous should be addressed.

In all honesty though, there are a lot of pretty ordinary drivers out there whose presence behind the steering wheel is questionable out the gate. Suprisingly it is these drivers that I find are the ones most adamant about being allowed to use their cell phones, while the 'good' drivers don't seem as fussed. (Not a scientific analysis, just an observation through people I know)

Unknown Brain 2223

Education before Legislation any and every time for me!

Stupid people who drink and drive can kill; Stupid people who text while driving can kill.... It's very obvious to me - CARS are the real killers. Should we make them illegal? Where will it stop? They want to make 'hands free' illegal too. What if you are talk to a passenger? Wouldn't that be a distraction too? Will we be forced to ride with Mimes?

To me its wrong to pass the law. Cops should observe driving and if the person is running off the road because they are texting, putting on make-up or whatever; he should pull them over and give them a ticket for driving like an Ass H@!#.

Jim Williams 2367

Speaker, hands free, Bluetooth whatever..... it's all the same..... if your on the phone your not paying attention to what you should be. If I get a call while driving I pull over and call them back...too easy. Nothing is so important that it can't wait 2 minutes to park.

Sure people think they can multi task, but it only takes a few seconds of not paying attention TO BE DEAD!!!!!! or to kill someone else. this really should be a no brainer.

If you ask me, and I guess you did, :) anyone caught using their phone while driving should have their $500 fine and DL suspended for 30 days first offense, $2500 fine and DL suspended for 90 days second offense and if caught a third time.... DL suspension for one year and/or 6 months in jail. That would turn a few phones off. It all comes down to wreckless endangerment.

What will be interesting to see is, cars with cell access built in. How are they going to enforce a law that is already an approved item on a new vehicle???? Loop hole for the lawyers i guess.... :)