There has been a recent upswing in the prohibition of the use of cell phones while driving. While only a handful of states have outright banned it, 10 others have enacted legislation restricting the use of electronics by teenage drivers. To this I say, "Thank God".
I do not know if this is a true statement, but I have heard from a number of people that texting while driving is worse than drunk driving. At least with drunk driving, your eyes (while not clear) are on the road ahead. If you're texting and driving, your eyes probably aren't completely on the road, and your mind is thinking about what to text back, not about the driver in your blind side or what exit to get off of.
Right now in the state of Pennsylvania, there is a bill that is currently in the state's senate that would ban both talking and texting while driving. If the bill makes its way into becoming a law, a $50 fine would be assessed to the driver. The bill excludes calls made in an emergency situation. Hand free phones and GPS's would still be legal.
The National Safety Council, a nonprofit, nongovernmental public service organization, is looking to ban all use of mobile phones while driving. Even hands-free devices should be banned, according to the group, as they do not make driving any safer.
A study from the Harvard Center of Risk Analysis estimates that cellphone use while driving contributes to 6 percent of crashes. President and Executive Officer of The National Safety Council, Janet Froetscher says that translates to 636,000 crashes, 330,000 injuries and 2,600 deaths in the United States each year.
"When you're on a call, even if both hands are on the wheel, your head is in the call, and not on your driving," Froetscher said. "Unlike the passenger sitting next to you, the person on the other end of the call is oblivious to your driving conditions. The passenger provides another pair of eyes on the road."
The reason people don't turn off their cell phones or wait until they get home is simple; we live in a connected, information addicted society. From the television shows fed to us (reality tv is geared toward keeping us entertained), to the devices we use on a daily basis (a phone with internet and more), we are a set of people who constantly need something to fill our lives. These bills limiting cell phone use will help us in the long run. These days, everyone has a cell phone, and I mean everyone. Limiting our use can only be a good thing.
I do not know if this is a true statement, but I have heard from a number of people that texting while driving is worse than drunk driving. At least with drunk driving, your eyes (while not clear) are on the road ahead. If you're texting and driving, your eyes probably aren't completely on the road, and your mind is thinking about what to text back, not about the driver in your blind side or what exit to get off of.
Right now in the state of Pennsylvania, there is a bill that is currently in the state's senate that would ban both talking and texting while driving. If the bill makes its way into becoming a law, a $50 fine would be assessed to the driver. The bill excludes calls made in an emergency situation. Hand free phones and GPS's would still be legal.
The National Safety Council, a nonprofit, nongovernmental public service organization, is looking to ban all use of mobile phones while driving. Even hands-free devices should be banned, according to the group, as they do not make driving any safer.
A study from the Harvard Center of Risk Analysis estimates that cellphone use while driving contributes to 6 percent of crashes. President and Executive Officer of The National Safety Council, Janet Froetscher says that translates to 636,000 crashes, 330,000 injuries and 2,600 deaths in the United States each year.
"When you're on a call, even if both hands are on the wheel, your head is in the call, and not on your driving," Froetscher said. "Unlike the passenger sitting next to you, the person on the other end of the call is oblivious to your driving conditions. The passenger provides another pair of eyes on the road."
The reason people don't turn off their cell phones or wait until they get home is simple; we live in a connected, information addicted society. From the television shows fed to us (reality tv is geared toward keeping us entertained), to the devices we use on a daily basis (a phone with internet and more), we are a set of people who constantly need something to fill our lives. These bills limiting cell phone use will help us in the long run. These days, everyone has a cell phone, and I mean everyone. Limiting our use can only be a good thing.
No comments:
Post a Comment