IF YOU HAVE A HABIT OF SCANNING OVER, (WE ALL DO AT TIMES), CERTAIN HUBS BEFORE COMMENTING OR RATING, PLEASE DON'T DO IT WITH THIS ONE. THIS IS A MUST READ, PLEASE READ, THE HUB, (AND VIEW THE VIDEOS), IN IT'S ENTIRETY, IF NOT NOW BOOKMARK IT FOR LATER AND READ THEN. I FEEL SO PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS, THAT I URGE ALL TO READ IT.

I wrote a tongue and cheek article a few months ago, entitled, Oh No.........I Left My Cell Phone At Home. It's not funny anymore, the statistics, pertaining to driving while using the cell phone, are frightening.

I got the idea to write this hub from something that I saw today. I was riding the subway, and as we rose above ground, I peered out my window and looked right at a female, (actually the gender didn't matter, just trying to be accurate), truck driver in an eighteen wheeler, (transfer truck, big rig, whatever you want to call it), pick up her cell phone, hold it out in front of her and proceeded to dial the number, then put the phone to her ear and began a conversation. Oh, did I mention that she was driving on the freeway at near rush hour. I was mortified, mind you I see this on a daily basis, but to think that 40 tons of steel riding down the highway at break neck speed, with the driver on the phone is terrifying to say the least.

I won't bore you with a lot of statistics, because frankly they change frequently. I'll only cite a few that I found on the Internet, simply to make my point. First a University of South Carolina researcher had this to say, "planning to speak and speaking put far more demands on the brain's resources than listening." Another said that the risk of having an accident was four times more likely when talking on the cell phone. And it's been shown that texting is far more dangerous, as the video above shows. It has been stated that the accident that took the lives of 25 commuters on a California rapid transit line was caused by the train operator texting, while operating the train. There are many, many more, proven accidents caused by either talking, or texting on the cell phone, while driving.

You can ignore this part if you want, I just wanted to throw this in for good measure. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, (NHTSA) USA, says that compelling evidence proves that when it comes to cellular phone usage while driving, the estimates are, your chances of getting in an accident increases by 300%. In addition it's said that 25% of all traffic accidents are a result of distracted drivers. I might add here that a report says that hands free talking while driving didn't decrease the risk, it's the act of speaking and planning to speak that is distracting.

I also read that the part of the brain that controls vision becomes less active when people focus on something visually while having a conversation. I can testify to that being true, and you can too, just try this little experiment, the next time you're watching television. Make a phone call to someone that you want to talk to, and by all means have on a program that you want to watch, and see if both get equal attention. This is a little experiment that I made up, because it happens to me all the time. But it proves that it's harder to drive and focus on the road while talking on your cell phone.

Let's try to lighten it up a bit here. Whatever happened to driving down the road by yourself, with yourself alone, with your thoughts. I was just wondering, when we didn't have the luxury of the cell phone, what we did. I know, we spent time with ourselves, listening to radio, tapes, Cd's or our own horrible, or melodious voices. And, or, (watch out now), picking and flipping boogers. Oh, don't be so grossed out, you know you see that, (or do it yourself), all the time. As a matter of fact that's one of the things I also witnessed, (yuk), today, while on my train ride. As detestable as that is, I'd almost rather see that than a phone conversation, because the only thing that would come from that is a little nausea, on the part of the onlooker. Just a little aside, "you're not invisible while driving, we see you, so quit that." I digress. Let's go back to the music a minute. It has also been noted that tinkering with your music maker, (Cd, radio etc), whatever it is, is also to blame for numerous accidents. The message here is, "people,  the car is not your playground, family room, or wherever you are comfortable doing these things." Concentrate, concentrate, concentrate on the road while driving.

Before I take this any further, I want to raise my hand and say that I was guilty, but not anymore. Of course, it had to be mandated, before I completely quit. We have a "no cell phone while driving law," in California as do about fourteen other states, in the U.S.

Hold on now, let's not throw the baby out with the bath water. There are benefits to having a cell phone along for the ride. Emergency calls can be made, as a matter of fact The Cellular Telephone and Internet Association estimated that about 139,000 emergency call are made from cell phones every day, and no doubt a good number are made from drivers. Also when experiencing mechanical problems, drivers are able to reach towing services easier. In addition, what mother doesn't welcome her cell phone if a child falls ill when they're apart.

Even with all the positives, I can't help but wonder what happened between the time the first auto makers put the first car on the road and Motorola, Samsung, or whoever put the first cell phones in our hands? I've been driving far longer than I've been talking on a cellular phone, and I'm still here to talk about it. I would venture to say, that, all those years cell phones didn't save my life on the road, although they might now. Sounds like a politician now don't I, speaking out of both sides of my mouth, but,(I'm just saying).

All I'm saying is, with all the proof that using the cell phone while driving is detrimental to our health and life, shouldn't we be about the business of adopting new habits for our travels along the road, again. Oh say I have a novel idea, why don't we spend a little time with ourselves, or, are we afraid of what we'll find, from a little introspection. (I'm just saying).

Just one more thing, please view the second video that I inserted, and see does it have an impact, if not it should. Make it a habit of not talking on a cell phone while driving, and don't let anyone with whom you're riding talk or text while driving. If there's ever a time to speak up this is it. I have no qualms about speaking out when I'm riding with someone that wants to talk on the phone while I'm riding with them. In my immediate circle of friends and family, both my daughters, and a 78 year old friend has gotten a ticket while talking and driving. That perhaps saved their lives, and the lives of someone they might have met intimately through an accident So speak up, and, help save a life or two.