Cell phone debate not silenced
Can you hear them now?
This week’s unsuccessful effort by a Town and Country Alderman John Hoffmann to pass a cell phone ban in that municipality was just the latest near-wakeup call for motorists intent on yakking behind the wheel of the car.
The debate over cell-phone safety has been raging for years. Missouri state Rep. Talibdin El-Amin, D-St. Louis, introduced a bill last year and promises to make it a legislative priority next session.
So far, six states and the District of Columbia have outlawed the use of hand-held cell phones while driving, said Russ Rader of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Hands-free phone devices are OK in those states, although research has shown those can be just as distracting.
One state, North Carolina has banned beginning drivers from using any kind of cell phone, Rader said.
Tragedy may boost the chances for a Missouri law, El-Amin said. Investigators are reportedly looking at whether cell phone use played any role in a deadly July 15 crash on Highway 40 near Interstate 270. Three people were killed and 15 were hurt when a tractor-trailer crashed into a line of cars near the interchange.
“What has happened now is the use of cell phones is going to become the parallel to drunk driving when it comes to road safety,” El-Amin said after pulling his own car to the side of the road to talk to a reporter via cell phone.
Hoffmann, a former law enforcement officer, said he has known for a long time that cell phones pose a danger. He’s reminded frequently while driving on Mason Road and honking at distracted drivers whose cars stray across the center line.
“There aren’t two sides,” said Hoffmann, who turns his cell phone off and puts it in his pocket when he drives. “And my point is the state is not doing something about it.”
I’m wholeheartedly for it. The city of Chicago has outlawed cell phones for a couple of years now and driving in the city is much better off for it - even as crazy as it still is. They also enforce it as well - my gf actually got a ticket for it.
Impaired driving is impaired driving. It doesn’t matter if it was caused by the six beers you had at the bar or the cell phone that’s plastered to the side of your head - it’s the same thing.
Legislaters point to enactment of more laws to protect us from unsafe activities, while all the ’safety’ laws already in force go unenforced. Feel free to add Cell phones to speed limits, tailgating, agressive driving, and mandantory seat belts: all of which are largely ignored by St. Louis area commuters. After all, it’s only against the ‘LAW’ if you get caught!
I can not understand why there is no law banning cell phone use while driving, anyone who does this should have it superglued to their ear.
I agree with Dave - most of the cell phone users that are driving erratically are already violating one or more laws, so why not just ticket them for that in the first place? That being said, I would probably be in favor of this law since things seem to be getting worse, not better.
Please keep two hands on the wheel and one mind on the road.
“think about this…if people are complaining that talking on the phone is causing drivers to focus on the conversation and not on the road, then how will any of the hands free set-ups help solve the problem. Drivers would still be concentrating on the phone call whether or not they have an extra free hand. Also if it truly is the conversation that is distracting drivers (and not the act of actually holding the phone to your ear) then perhaps they should make talking to passengers while driving illegal as well. I could take it one step further and argue that singing along with a song on the radio is also too distracting…. where does it end? I’m not condoning driving while talking on the phone, but perhaps the problem is a bit overblown….especially comparing it to drunk/impaired driving.
I am all for the law. It seems that so many people think that they need to space out on the cell phone and they are really placing themselves in danger as well as posing a danger for everyone else on the road. Corporate CEOs are some of the worst offenders.