Should cell phone use be banned while driving?
67Should cell phone use be banned while driving?
Thailand today (November 14, 2007) passed the third and final parliamentary reading on the cell phone driving bill. This makes driving with cell phone immediately illegal. The law, however, is still in the early stage of development and has a great degree of leniency. It bans only drivers holding a physical cell phones on hand. Drivers with earphone, headset, Bluetooth, or any other hand free devices can still drive with their cell phones. But laws makers are continuing to devote time and thought to further improve the law. The second stage of the bill will consider the total ban of cell phone usage altogether while driving. This is expected to put in use sometime by the end of 2008.
Back in 1965 while I was still studying in Australia, I was stopped on the road one day and given a notice by one police man for driving with an ice cream cone in my hand. I was perplexed by his interception. But he was kind to explain patiently to me that what I was doing was dangerous and it could easily cause car accident. This happened long before the cell phone came into the driving scene.
In USA, the majority of car accidents are caused by irresponsible driving behavior. Statistics show that 98 % of car accidents involve single distracted driver. Among all these accidents, rubbernecking where drivers looking at other accidents, traffic or roadside incidents ranks top. Studies also review that cell phones have recently sprung up as a common cause of car accidents. Worse, researchers have found that this latest undesired phenomenon is rising sharply. (The Washington Post March 17, 2003)
Today too, Thailand is hosting about 250 traffic experts from all over the world to share and find ways to reduce road accidents. One of their major concerns is the alarming car accidents involving usage of mobile phones while driving. We will have to wait for a few more days when the conference ends to hear their formal report. But the media report is certainly pointing to too a high rate of car accidents due to dialing, answering, changing battery, talking on mobiles while driving.
All the facts and figures are pointing to the same direction that a ban is necessary now. This will not only protect the innocent parties who are accidentally rammed into but the reckless drivers with the cell phone too. It is a law long over due.
The urgent matter we should discuss now is to over look the basic and consider a total ban on all kinds of cell phone usage while driving. Studies have shown that weather, physical condition, emotion, mood, can all cause driving behavior and car accidents. Campaigns have been launched in Thailand for drivers feeling fatigue or emotional unstable to pull the wheels aside and take a short rest before moving on. Free body massages too are provided at major highway petrol stations for drivers during holiday seasons.
Experts insist that driving requires body fitness and mind concentration. Distractions of any kind are undesirable. A sudden twist or disruption of mood can result in car accident. A phone call from a creditor with mean demeanor can arouse driver's tension and lack proper temper to drive. It is, thus, an obvious cause for car accident. A hand free phone call while driving is, therefore, considered unfit.
We do not have time and space to look at all the statistical car accident data. But from what I have gathered, they are indeed disappointing. The next accident could be yours with your hand phone while driving. So, it is high time we put the brake on our cell phone driving habits. I would conclude that we should definitely ban the use of cell phone while driving?
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Comments
Saying that handsfree devices should be illegal is like saying that having an argument with the passenger of your vehicle should be illegal (and that would be MUCH more distracting than a phone call that you can simply hang up on if you begin to lose it). Poor drivers combined with lack of common sense (or simply low intelligence) are what cause accidents. Since there are many of those people in our world, taking their eyes off the road by allowing them to text message and the likes behind the wheel should definitely be illegal; however a hands free phone is no more of a distraction than a passenger or disturbing news on the radio.
You do have a very good point that need to be considered.
statistics from insurance companies show that using a cell phone while driving greatly increases risk of accident. in some states cell phone use is illegal while driving and fines are imposed (rightfully) if one is caught.
yes. it should be illegal. life is dangerous enough. driving is dangerous enough. the distraction of fighting with a mate or talking business while driving is absolutely unnecessary in my opinion.
i love jhonny depp
i think that it should be bannned
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talking on cell phones while driving should be banned to many poeple lose site of the road ahead while chating it up with a friend i feel like if they are driving just pull over talk then drive
It is really amazing that as long as cell phones have been in use..and as long as they have been in WIDE use..its only until NOW...that there is such an outcry for their being banned...when we are on the cusp of a ban being unnecessary. The handsfree device is a joke..I personally have found it more dangerous to get the stupid things set up than it is to just answer the cell itself. This isn't the solution...and neither is legislation.. I contend that when technology creates a problem...technology eventually provides the solution. That solution comes in the form of driver assist features...some of which are already here on higher end models of cars. Auto Braking is one of great significance....I suspect in the next 5 years we will see even more advanced crash avoidance systems on cars...utilizing radaresque type features... What I find so dishonest is when people provide these argument for cell phone bans..they don't put up the most important and easy statistic # of accidents/100k drivers Vs # of Cell phones. The exact statistics for comparison would need a little tweaking maybe...but...thats the general ball park..The reason you don't see those..is that # of accidents has declined... That can be attributed to people NOT having to rush as they can make a call from the road enroute..better communication...Safer cars...and any number of other technological advances. Ban other people especially children from the car...thats one of the top causes...its just sexy and nice to ban cells...but pass a cop and look at what he is doing..you will be surprised how many are yapping on their cell phone...Follow congressmen driving alone...or state legislators...I BET you catch em on the phone.. BANS are NOT the answer...technology will provide the solution..
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cellphones should be banned becuz imagine da textin you would have to take your off the wheel imagine hoe dangerous that would be
thisayakorn says:
2 years ago
It only tells how low a person you are using 4 letters word in the comments.