Should 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?