It's ridiculous the amount of crazy laws they are cramming down our throats and some people go along without question, even cheering. Do you know how many people I've been behind that were driving like idiot while talking to their passenger, yelling at their kids in the backseat, changing their radio, etc. Some people will get behind any law targeted at younger folks be it spite or ignorance.

So if we are getting rid of distractions there should be a law against: passengers,children,radios,people over the age of 60 (I work in the emergency and law enforcement services and know for a fact that a very high percentage of elderly drivers are a deathtrap in and of themselves) DVD players in vehicles, putting on makeup, drinking, eating. I don't know how i could make that any clearer, goodnight.

You think younger people are being targeted and persecuted as a group and feel it's wrong but see no problem in putting all people over 60 into a group to be banned from the highway? I know, you're the only one who knows " the facts".

Get real buddy. I can't count the number of times I've nearly been forced off the road or been stuck behind some numb skull going 30 miles an hour in the fast lane because they weren't paying attention while driving because they were yacking on the phone. The other day I was following some woman who was talking on the phone while in heavy traffic on the freeway. She was weaving around like a drunkard, going outside of her lane and nearly running into other cars around her. Parking lots are the worst. I can't tell you how many times I've nearly been run over by some person who comes around a corner without even looking with a cell phone stuck to their ears. It should definitely be illegal to use a cell phone while driving. It is NOT a crazy law. It seems that it is the only way to get people to stop doing something stupid. Being stupid should hurt, then people would stop being stupid. You, for example.

If people would be responsible for themselves then there would be no need for laws, we as a society have dumbed ourselves down with the excuses that we live in a FREE Society we can do as we please.... No Harm no Foul..... And this Kind of thinking is just wrong. LETS START AN MOVEMENT RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW TO BE THE ONES IN CHARGE OF OURSELVES SO THE GOVERNMENT DOSE NOT HAVE TO DO IT FOR US.....

Hey Vern, you are so right. One person wrote that he only uses his cell for 30 seconds. How about that. I guess it takes longer than 30 seconds to kill someone!!!!

So, Steven-1239880... I reckon you must be one of those young'uns being persecuted by idiots, and old folks like me. And being employed in law enforcement and emergency services I'm sure you must see some stupid and terrible things (I worked in the health care profession, too, in hospital settings, for 40 years). That puts you, with your youth and energy, in an excellent position to crusade against such idiotic behaviors while behind the wheel of a car (not sure you'd get too far if you also tried to crusade against old folks; getting old ain't for sissies, and we can be a bit techy). Perhaps you could direct your vitriol in this matter toward more positive action.

Or are you maybe too busy with your cell phone, yakking, texting, and trading photos with your good-ole-boy network of the hot babe you just pulled over? BTW, I'm not only old, I'm wise, having been married to a law enforcement officer for way too long. And incredibly, his name is Steve.

You're still wet behind the ears if you think 60 is Elderly. You're talking to a generation that still works to support your sorry ass and give you all the comforts you so richly enjoy and abuse! It was our feeble minds that gave you cell phones in the first place. If you didn't misuse what your parents gave you (brains), then we "old folks" wouldn't have to regulate what you do with them.

You are so right! I remember when I pulled into a restaurant behind a female talking on her cell phone. she got out of the car, went into the restaurant, ordered and ate her food without ever getting off her cell phone!! Some people have telephoneitttttis disease!!!! Just 2 days ago I saw another case where the woman (WOMEM!!!!) talking with one hand and writing with the other. She must have been using her knees to steer the car. Why can't everyone pull over (SAFELY) and then use the phone. Just like stated by the saftey authorities-"this is just the same as driving .o8% DRUNK". Why can't these idiots GET IT !!!!. Can they be that inconsiderate of others?

Don't like the sexism here--I see men doing this constantly and have been tboned by a distracted man who ran a red light.

Also, my pet peeve is men on the phone driving slowly in left lane. AT LEAST GET TO THE RIGHT!

Just hang up people, honestly it isn't worth a car accident.

No sexism intended. Just stated recent facts and personal viewing. Just happenned to be females. I also have seen Males driving under the influece of cell phones. However the persons mentioned in my article just happenned to be females! If I started to write more then my story would have been too long. Maybe you are sexist? It seems that whenever someone writes about the opposite sex they are branded as sexist! Thanks anyway!

Really, in the end, it comes down to a driver who is paying attention or not paying attention. Whether they are distracted by a phone call, a passsenger, or just thinking about all of the things they need to do for the day/night/week. Banning Cell Phones while driving, is just another example of "Big Brother," if you ask me. Simply taking the cell phones away, is not going to make bad drivers any better. I don't think anyone can honestly say that EVERYTIME they get behind the wheel, that their focus is soley on the road in front of them. There have been times, while driving a little tired, or just late at night, that being able to call someone from my cell phone, has probably saved me from wrecking my car. (granted, driving while tired is never a good idea, but sometimes there is little choice in the matter)

Recently there was accident here in Oklahoma where a trucker slammed into a traffic jam on the interstate doing 70+ mph, killing 9 people. He left NO skid marks. They suspect he was texting or reading.

They only suspect he was texting or reading. Why don't they get his cell phone records and see if he was connected to someone at the time? If he was then bingo we have a cause and his insurance will be paying some bigger bills.

Or sleeping!

Or putting on makeup while driving with the rear view mirror tilted to they can see where they are putting the mascara.

Yeah Barbara. The ole make-up routine has been going on way before cell phones. How they can drive awhile looking up in the mirror is just plain ass lucky. Now they can do both-- make up and talk on phone at same time. It's only a matter of time before someone dies because of this person. I've had a number of close calls in intersections because of some idiot who is talking and trying to turn the wheel. Worst of all sometimes they don't even SEE you they are so wrapped up in these important calls. They should make it a felony like drunk driving.

Yes Photons, you are so right. What is scaring me very much of late however are the: Bicyclists on cell phones and those in parking lots just walking and oblivious to everything around them-especially automobiles!

What about the guy driving with a newspaper spread accross the steering wheel and talking on the cell at the same time !!!! Wow, death on the highway.

...and how do you test for idiocy? You read statements like this!

You are correct. Stupidity can not be fixed. Why don't you try hitting that shift key or that space bar occasionally? It may help you make your point, Joann.

Mr. Shannon Wilkerson,

Regarding the space bar and shift key--I agree!  But "cannot" is one word, not two.

Actually, both are correct: cannot / can not

Oh dear god. The grammar nazis are out again. How old are you people!? No wonder you are all so crazy-anti-cellphone. "GET OFF MY LAWN" much?

Susan,

How abouy can't

It's different because the person is not in the car with you. A passenger can respond to the road conditions in ways that the person on the cell phone cannot, such as putting the conversation on hold during tricky driving maneuvers as well as pointing out dangerous conditions or impending collisions to the driver. The person you are talking to on the cell phone can do none of these things as they are unaware of the road conditions that you are facing.

My comment wasn't about the person riding in the car, it was about talking to that person while you're driving. Many people are known to look over at the person they're talking to, which can cause a distraction. I don't think anyone expects or implies for the person they're talking to on the phone to be a traffic advisor.

I have your answer. A person talking on a cell phone must concentrate much more on the conversation because cellphones do not do a good job of communicating inflection in a voice or the mood a person is trying to convey. A person sitting next to you in a car can imply these things as they are there live talking to you. Because these characteristics are missing in cellphone calls people tend to focus more heavily on the call instead of the road thereby making it dangerous. It is the same on a hand's free device or otherwise. Think about it next time you're talking on a cellphone and not driving and you'll see what I mean. This is why first offense should mean you lose your license. Same thing for DD.

Basedrum, What your implying is that the person in the car is communicating with visual inflection as well as verbal communication. That means in order for the driver to get this inflection he is not looking at the road but at the passenger, therefore he is being "DISTRACTED".

I've read about studies that say that because we learned to talk before we learned to drive, our concentration naturally goes to the conversation first, leaving concentration on driving secondary.

basedrum777

I think you miss a point here! It is different when you are talking to some else in the car!! You can still have both hands on the wheel The problem (or one of them) are called HANDS. Also Cell Phone Laws are on the books in a lot of states. eg....Connecticut. The only problem with the law is that IT IS NOT ENFORCED!!!!

Read the article; there have been numerous studies conducted that clearly show that people talking on a cell phone (even hands free) are over four times more likely to drive erratically. Talking to a person in a car does not raise accident rates to this extent. If you are out of control, yelling at someone next to you or in the back seat, of course this will raise the incidents. I agree, many things can cause accidents; reading, eating, drinking coffee, applying makeup but cell phone talking or, God forbid, texting, have been proven to be a HUGE risk, right up there with drinking, so, I say, make it illegal.

great idea on the insurance thing.

She didn't even STOP? My god, she's not just an idiot, she's a monster! Hope there was someone there to get you some help. Best of luck in your recovery.

(But please-- it's not fair to blame all women as the "worst offenders." You wouldn't say "Asians are the worst," because that's a stereotype, just like "bad women drivers" is. I nominate teenagers for Worst Offenders. I'll grant you THAT woman, though. What a MORON!)

martin monks,

I'm sorry to hear about your injuries that you've endured due to the accident. However I feel that for you to say "People who talk on cell phones are completely self absorbed" is false. You're right that it's a distraction, but some people can handle it better than others, much like riding a bike and reaching for a bottle or signaling.

SugarBlind,

I agree whole heartedly that she's a monster among other things. But, as you said "It's not fair to blame all women as the worst offenders", it's also not fair to say teenagers are. Granted you simply nominated teenagers for worst offenders as your opinion, but martin monks did the same thing with the women comment.

My heart goes out to both of you, but don't make comments based on emotion or spite, it makes you appear uneducated and arrogant to anyone in the world who isn't. Have a nice day.

-Nathan

Well yes; it's not fair to blame all women, but in my experience women do talk on the phone a HELL of a lot more than men. Not all stereotypes are baseless.

I feel sorry for you, and I hope you have a speedy recovery.

However I witnessed the opposite the other day. I saw a bicyclist going south in a northbound lane. I was stopped at a red light but he went through the light and went right in front of a vehicle almost getting hit by the car. I have also seen bikes riding on the sidewalk with no regard for the pedestrian! I have also seen them riding a bike and talking on the cell phone !! I know this won't help you, but there are 2 sides to a story. In Florida and other states a bicycle is considered a Motor Vehicle and subject to the same LAWS.

Get well quick.

Not true. What if your passengers are in the back seat? Or possibly even further back if you drive a monstrosity (SUV)? What if they are children? Not everyone in the car is looking out for you.

This has actually be studied. If the passenger(s) can see that the road is becoming tricky (such as pulling into an interstate which you would almost have to be blind to not notice) then they pause the conversation. They only do this because they actually SEE the possible danger. With kids, you can ignore them or tell them to hold on, that isn't rocket science.

Ok, so to extend your "With the kids, you can ignore them or tell them to hold on" analogy, you can tell the person on the other end of the call to hold on. And I am usually talking to an adult, so they understand the "wait, hold on a sec" thing better than kids do. So I submit that if we ban cell phone conversations, we should ban children in cars too.

Or we could just NOT ADD ANY NEW LAWS, since reckless driving covers this; if someone is being reckless.

SOoooo... What's the difference again?

Kathy50

Very good.

How about the sign that Buses use: (or did use)

"Do not talk to the operator, while this vehicle is in motion"!

I see people doing this everyday without the distraction of a cell phone. Why don't we have laws that ban this kind of driving?

...and I suppose both of you CAN drive the RIGHT way?

I guess super human people like you should be exempt from any laws then. When you text you take your eyes off of the road. If you aren't looking at the road you can't avoid obstacles that may be in your path. Pretty simple Huh...

Yea , there are those that think they can drink & drive safely too.

Interesting that the author talked about cabbies and bus drivers in the state of NY which has a handsfree only law. If I was in that cab, I would get their number and call the police to tell them that this cabbie is currently breaking the law. Who knows it may get his license revoked or perhaps convince him to get a handsfree device.

A shame that Raze decides to lump Honda drivers in the same bunch. With 15 years of driving experience you MUST have all the facts! Why don't you share how you became "wired to multitask with technology" while the rest of us have not?

I had a friend tell me he had "learned how to drive drunk" when we had just come from a bar where he couldn't see where the line on the credit card receipt was to sign it and proceeded to tell me (no drinks at all) that I was going the wrong way home (stole his keys). Do you think the police would have believed that story had they stopped him? Same goes for texting/cell phones - no one is better equipped to multitask while driving than any other person. It's one thing to multitask in your office where if you lose track of one task, you can just pick it up later and quite another if you lose track of your driving while composing a text message and have a head on crash. There is no going back and picking up that lost task.......FAILED!!

wow I hope I am never on the road with you ....

Guess what taucross, you're on the road with people without licenses, speeders, drunks, maniacs, young people, old people, people who don't care, and people highly suseptable to any type of distraction. Funny that you're on the road with those people probably everyday and you say you don't want to be on the road with this particular individual. Take some time to think. Maybe prioritize a little bit. Or maybe, don't make assumptions based on the fact that this person uses their phone without knowing their ability to do so.

-Nathan

I guess you didn't read the article. Just because you THINK you can multi-task doesn't mean you actually CAN. I am guilty of talking on my cell rarely, but more often than not, I just ignore it until I get to where I am going. There is nothing that important that it can't wait. Even when my son is in the car, I tell him to wait because I driving, and will not focus on whatever Transformer, etc., he wants to discuss. Put on makeup--NEVER! Rarely eat in the car. It is a car, not an annex of your home. As for the others you mentioned in your comment--you mention to prioritize. None of those should be acceptable. The problem is, the police ignore a lot of it. Here in TN where I live, I see policemen on the phone while they are driving! Now you tell me how they are paying attention to their driving, let alone that of anyone else? They are trained professionals, and they can't---and neither can you!

So, we should not ban cell phones in cars because a few percent of folks like you "believe" you can drive safely while talking, while over 90 pecent of cell blabbers are causing havoc on the highways......your problem is obvious......moron.

You misspelled your name - it should be "acidBrain"

Is that supposed to be insulting jmyQ? Are you implying that my prior use of halucinogens is a problem? Not everyone who has used drugs in the past is a frothing addict. I'm a productive member of society with a perfect driving record.

I think a safer option is to ban older drivers. I've seen plenty of seniors driving on the wrong side of the road, or miss a stop sign or light. Come on, as long as we're all being honest here, lets talk about how dangerous seniors are behind the wheel. But guess what? Politics won't allow us to ban older drivers.

Acidrain, your license should be revoked and you should be charged with DWI.

Driving While an Idiot

And your internet license shoudl be revoked, becuase you are a moron for placing your inadequacies on other people.

What you need to do Acidrain, is get someone to video you while you drive so you can see the change in your behavior when you are on the phone versus when you are watching the road. It is very simple. You may seem to be ok, but there are (at least) minor differences in your reaction times. I did this with my husband and it's amazing the things you will notice.

Yeah, of course you think you are "perfectly capable." All psychotics do. Here's hoping you only drive into a ditch or hit a tree instead of another person, because people as stupid and arrogant as you are a true menace to society.

Excellent post-- I totally agree with you. I think we (Americans) have become incredibly selfish and self-absorbed. It makes me sad. You can see why other countries view us so negatively .

WAA,WAA,WAA, I WANNA TALK NOW, GIMME, GIMME, GIMME THAT PHONE, WAAAAAA!!!!!! People who talk on cell phone while driving are like 2 year olds who have to have what they want, at that exact second, or else they have a tantrum. What, in God's name is so important to talk about, that you could be risking your life or the lives of others?????? Please, everyone, GROW UP! In the meantime, I think tickets and hefty fines might cause a few people to hang up.

I think that the law in Washington State is reasonable. It outlaws using a a handset. Simple. If you want to talk it has to be completly hands-free. In my car it is all built in. I push a button on the steering wheel, speak a name and say the phrase "dial phone". How does this interfere with my driving? I would not initiate a call if the driving situation was dicey, and do not have to answer a call if I feel it is not a good time. In fact, most of my car calls I start before leaving my parking spot or I recieve them by pushing the steering wheel button. It is exactly like talking to a passenger.

I fully agree.

lol. I totally agree with the kids thing!

Nope. Just a little gizmo in the car that jams cell-phone frequencies. Did you know your car has a black box that records all the stuff the car does? Speed, brakes, distance before impact, etc.

jmyQ, that's a stupid idea. So now you are so worried about the "dangers of cell phone use!" that when someone gets in an accident, THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO CALL FOR HELP! Good job! Nice knee-jerk reaction.

I can tell by your use of the word "gizmo" in cars that you are totally clueless when it comes to technology. I hope you're happy paying $400 extra for your next car that will block the cell phone you don' t use. BTW, cars generally don't have black boxes. They have airbag sensors that can record the impact force, which can be used to deduce how fast a car was going.

I'm not saying there aren't people that SHOULD NOT USE CELL PHONES while driving, I'm just saying, we already have laws in place to deal with reckless drivers. We don't need to ban cell phones.

JMYQ, Yes I'm aware but not all cars have them. Acidrain is correct, they derived from airbag sensors and are called EDR (Event Data Recorders) they do record speed, breaking, RPM, etc for crash data however, the majority I've read about only record the last 5 seconds prior to a crash. Plus, the data it even has depends on the manufacturer. GM has them in many cars.

Here is an article from last year where the information was used to convict.

Ray-1139276

If what you say is correct, then why do we not allow Drunks to drive withot getting a ticket.

Most Cell phone laws allow hands-free driving. That may help 50% but certainly is really not the answer either. The best thing is to have feelings for other people! Remember the Golden Rule, or don't you know of that one!

Bobby HW,

I think you misunderstood my point. the first thing I said was I don't advocate heavy cell use while driving. My point is that laws against hands free use is overkill and not enforceable, at least right now. I do believe in the golden rule. That's what we need - consideration for others and a good dose of common sense.

I'm just not a big advocate for laws for everything we can think of. Think about it. Without some sort of added technology, when it comes to hands free, what are you gonna do, pull over every car that has a drivers lips moving?

I'd be much more in favor of slapping someone with a large fine if it is found that their cell was in use (via phone records or whatever) and they were in an accident or something.

Drunk driving is NOT even in the same universe as using a cell phone.Yes, you can make an argument that either impairs your ability to drive safely but come on. based on the poll above, if 5 or 6 out of every 10 drivers use their phone while driving daily and the same amount drive drunk daily, which one is going to cause more damage.

I just think we can get out of hand with laws for everything. Sun glare causes a TON of accidents like rear endings in morning commutes especially with snow on the ground. Just a guess, but I'd be surprised if it didn't cause more than hands free cell use. Do we want a law that it's illegal to drive without sunglasses on a bright sunny day?

How about the fact that people kill others and themselves with the cars themselves. do you think they will ever make it illegal to drive cars. I THINK NOT!!

People need to start using their brain and then there would not need to be a law for everything. The law should be USE COMMON SENSE!!!!

Auto companies should be banned from putting hands free devices in cars and cars should jam any signal while the motor is running. If you need to make an emergency call, shut down your car. Please don't try to say that everyone tooling around with a phone to their ear is in an emergency situation.....maybe 2% of cell calls in cars are for emergencies, if that. People just don't know how to shut up unless someone makes them.

It's like kids - "If you can't share that toy, then neither one of you can play with it!" Arrogant drivers who think they are "intelligent" enough to operate a vehicle and do everything else at the same time, are the one's who complain the loudest when laws are made to "take their toys away." [It's because of these so-called intelligent people who kill themselves and others in an accident that these laws are enacted in the first place.] Those of us who are "too stupid" to text and drive at the same time because we care about our safety and the safety of others applaud these laws and willingly give up our "toys" for the good of all.

Teenagers cause the largest percentage of accidents per year. Chewing gum while driving may prove to be too difficult for them until they develop good driving skills.

Believe it or not, there are people in the world who are capable of multitasking. For every 1 idiot that you pass who swerves or speeds because of distractions, there are 20 others who are doing exactly what they should... staying in the lines, following the flow of traffic. I have been almost run off the road by jerks who were neither on a phone or distracted in any other way. I have also been in long lines of bumper to bumper traffic with kind people who were safely using their handsfree devices or yelling at their children to shut up without turning around.