nationwide ban on the use of cell phones and text messaging devices while driving.

[Kevin Gregoire]

here is something CNN news had and i sure hope it goes through cause there are way to many idiots that cant do two things at once!


The National Transportation Safety Board Tuesday called for a nationwide ban on the use of cell phones and text messaging devices while driving.

The recommendation is the most far-reaching yet by the NTSB, which in the past 10 years has increasingly sought to limit the use of portable electronic devices.
If adopted by states, the recommendation would outlaw nonemergency phone calls and texting by operators of every vehicle on the road.
It would not apply to hands-free devices, or to passengers.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Wonder if it will apply to Police that type on computers while driving.... Or use of radios similar to CB radios - such as those in emergency vehicles and as used by hams.

[Al Wasser]

I agree that they should be banned but how to enforce. They are just the tip of the iceberg as far as distractive devices the a drive will deal with ie GPS, changing cd's or radio stations, cigarettes, etc

[james glenn]

They are already banned here in New York, and it's a ticket just like seat belts, etc..

Police and emergency people can use them when on duty. So you see police driving around on them talking to friends all the time. Doesn't seem right since they aren't paying much attention either.

[Anthony Whitesell]

But the actons you note are momentary actions 2-5 seconds and you're done (well, except for the smoking). Whereas a phone call can last from tens of seconds to minutes or hours.

The difference I would note on phones versus CB-style radios, is how you hold them. You hold the mike in front of you and they don't have to be as close to your mouth to be heard. On the other hand, holding the phone up to your ear cuts off part of your vision to that side. Personally I hate driving holding a phone because of just that. I can't see out one side or the other.

[Belinda Barfield]

Well, today I would vote yes. Yesterday I was behind a guy who was obviously textin while driving and he was all over three lanes and nearly sideswiped a car. This morning a guy making a left turn almost ran into me at a traffic light - he was talking on his phone, and another car almost rearended me - talking on the phone. Yep, today I vote yes!

[Kerry Wright]

Absolutely, ban them (cops included), and there should be heavy fines for ANYONE texting while driving (including while waiting at a red light)! As for the other devices mentioned, in most states (at least all the ones I've been in) it's called "Distracted Driving" and you can be ticketed for it.

[Trevor Howard]

I read an article yesterday about vehicles being able to sense the difference between a driver talking/texting and a passenger. Once determined it could block the drivers signal. Sounds good, but how many can afford new cars with this technology. I am all for total ban, but as said earlier it is never really enforced.

[alex grams]

You have no chance of this being enforced upon police. Police can speed/run signs/lights without using sirens or lights (which i abhore that they can do so). So enforcing this restriction upon them will never happen.

Also, as far as enforcing it on the general public, this is the law in Canada. Tickets are common for it, and while it may get a lot of retaliation at first, i think over time you could change the culture for people to accept it.

I would be fine if they wanted assess extra fines for people involved in accidents when it is proven they were talking/texting/etc on their phone while driving. I think that would be a next logical step before an all-out ban.

[james glenn]

I should qualify my previous comment, that currently in NY a driver can talk on their cell phone while using a handsfree device. But they are not allowed to text or talk while holding the phone.

It hasn't been that big of a deal here, and didn't get a lot of resistance. Not sure how well it works, but police do pull people over when they see them talking or suspect they are texting.

Personally, I don't like talking on the phone much when not driving, so it doesn't bother me. However, I do see a lot of 'Distracted Drivers' out there not paying attention despite the law.

[John Pratt]

Not sure how to vote on this one. I am tired of more and more laws telling us what to do, but at the same time I never text, talk, or other while driving. Not even a hands free device. Distracted driving is distracted driving. I remember in Germany when I was stationed there, that even if you were using a hands free device you would be cited in an accident for distracted driving and held liable. What about the screaming kids in the car, the lady putting on makeup (no offense ladies), the idiot eating a Big Mac and fries, working on a IPAD or computer, or even the radio playing. where does it stop? If you can make the case for one, surely someone can make the case for the others. I think it would come down to a court to decide in individual cases whether the driver was indeed "distracted". I think a lot of this stems from the big pile up in Missouri and some other accidents, but how do the numbers play out when compared to deaths from smoking, alcohol, etc and those are still legal.

[ray hampton]

there is a number of things that we do not need to do while we are driving, sneezing is one of them that I dread

[David Weaver]

Not into the idea of a ban of talking. Texting, yes, no problem with banning that, but we don't need more nanny laws.

[Larry Edgerton]

I gave up street bikes because of idiots on cell phones. Every time someone tried to kill me, they were on a phone.

Used to be you just had to look for blue hairs in Buicks

Ban GPS while you are at it. I just love that they build them into the dash with a nice big screen that you have to look away from the road to see. Brilliant!

Larry

[glenn bradley]

People were driving distracted by putting on make-up, reading the newspaper or shaving long before cell phones became so prolific. We already had laws for such things but, we had to add a 'special' one for cell phones. More laws on the books, more loopholes for lawyers to cash in on (sorry all you lawyers out there but, you know . . . ). Even with the law in place I see people blatantly ignore it. If they get a ticket, it was "some dumb cops fault" for catching them not their fault for ignoring the law. People who think safety is someone else's problem and act stupidly careless abound. I just wish they were held responsible for their own misbehavior instead of getting to sue someone for it. Rant over