Using cell phones while driving

[pockyD]

Starting today (July 1), it's illegal to use a cell phone while driving in California unless you're using a hands-free device. This type of law has already been in place in other states for a while (i.e. New York).

Obviously, the intention is promote safety, but I don't think this will be effective. Primarily, I think that the danger raised by drivers on phones is not that they're driving with one hand, which is perfectly legal (i.e. people driving a stick). Rather, it is the presence of a distraction, one which still exists whether the driver is holding a phone or not

So the question is two-fold:
1) Should talking on the phone be illegal while driving?
2) If (1) is yes, then should hands-free devices be acceptable?


edit: clarifying that the "new" law is in California, I could've sworn I originally had this, but I didn't

 

[Crimson King]

Shouldn't be a law. I understand the distraction of a cell phone while driving and how it can be detrimental, but the same can be said about radios, GPSes, and children. Will those be banned too?

 

[manhunter098]

I dont know, I find it wierd to hold a phone, talk, and drive at the same time. Its mostly the effort in trying to keep the phone from falling that gets me, well and the conversation as well. That said I think that California just passed a law making using a cell phone while driving PERIOD (yes that includes hands-free device as well), but I might not remember the article I read correctly.

I dont find it too unreasonable to ban it but then again cell phones are at least as important as attending to your kids when diving these days. So like Crimson said there are other distractions that can be detrimental to driving like children in the car and those arent really banned, but you cant really ban using a car for the purpose it was made for, transporting people. I dont feel though that the radio is a significant distraction, unless you get really into the song you shouldnt have problems and I find I can get more distracted by trying to read a billboard than I can from a song.


That said I think that younger and less experienced drivers shouldnt be allowed to use cell phones while driving. So if you havent had your license for I would say at least 5 years, I dont think you should be allowed to talk on a cell phone, but it would be something that police cant just pull you over for, just something to toss on top of your ticket if you get pulled over for say speeding, or running a red light.

 

[OffTheChain]

This sort of issue inevitably leads to the debate between personal freedom and a desire to ensure the safety of both drivers and pedestrians. Giving the high rate of car crashes, cell phone use should be banned while driving. Driving is an activity that requires attention and coordination. Cell phones act as a distraction, which is several times worse than any highway hypnosis. Human beings have a very limited capacity for multitasking. While it is possible to do two things at once, proficiency for any one task will decrease. Driving often includes the unpredictable, and the need to react quickly to a given situation. Cell phones use makes it likely that will use only one hand while driving. If a tire were to blow out, it would be difficult for the person driving to grab the wheel tightly. Losing control of the car of ignoring icy roads may be another unfortunate side effect. Additionally, trying to crane the neck to hold the phone in place makes it difficult to see the road. Cell phone use while driving represents a lack of care for the safety of others and yourself. It is obnoxious and rude.

Car’s are like weapons if used incorrectly, and dividing your attention while driving disregards concern for other people, and demonstrates a lack of discipline. Personally, I feel that people who talk on the phone while driving obviously have little understanding of how a car actually works, and are really just hedonists who are slaves to instant gratification. Because no matter how good you think you are at multitasking, your driving ability and control will drop drastically while talking on the phone. As for hand free devices, I see little need for them. I am slightly more lenient to those types of devices, but I still feel that they represent a lack of patience and self restraint. Then again, cell phone use in general has me questioning whether or not people actually take the time to enjoy life, or simply try to jump from one moment to the next.


/rant

 

[cF=)]

Shouldn't be a law. I understand the distraction of a cell phone while driving and how it can be detrimental, but the same can be said about radios, GPSes, and children. Will those be banned too?

Since a hand-free device is acceptable, I'd say it's more the hassle of holding your phone while driving that's detrimental to your abilities. Nobody will argue it's unsafe to talk while driving, so in a sense I think it's acceptable to restrain the driver from permanently using one of his hands for something else than its safety on the road.

 

[Eor]

I remember seeing a bunch of statistics that said that it doesn't matter if you're holding the phone or not, talking on the phone in general has the same amount of accidents.

Texting, however, should definitely be banned. As someone who has both driven drunk. driven high, and texted while driving, I can promise you that texting is a lot ****ing harder. The others are banned for good reason, texting should be as well.

 

[Crimson King]

Really? I learned to text without looking at the key pad and have no problem driving and texting; however, I have only really tried on the interstate.

 

[Jam Stunna]

I've had a hard time with this issue, because I find myself very conflicted. On the one hand, I think this ban is ridiculous, but on the other I support drunk-driving laws. They're basically the same thing, just with varying degrees of impairment. One could say that the difference in impairment (talking on a cell phone vs. being drunk) makes my contradiction okay, but if a drunk driver gets home without causing an accident, have they done anything wrong?

I don't know, it's a contradiction that I have to rectify.

 

[Vro]

Is this law a blanket law of the U.S.? I haven't head any news about it and am wondering if this is national or just local.

Anyways, this law is just a big inconvenience. Altho I can see why they would do such a thing, to make everyone who needs to talk on the phone while driving obtain a hands-free device is dumb.

Going along with Eor, I believe the actual impairment comes from talking, not holding the phone. They did this on Myth Busters, showing that the concentration put into a phone conversation can be as overwhelming as being drunk. I don't necessarily believe that's true, but it shows how demanding a phone call can be.

Why make a law that forces people to do something when personal discretion should be the limiter? I can text or read while driving; it just takes me a long time. As long as the person driving understands the dangers and is responsible, why should the law force something upon them? They can end the phone call at any moment, returning to their "non-impaired" self.

 

[pockyD]

Is this law a blanket law of the U.S.? I haven't head any news about it and am wondering if this is national or just local.

Anyways, this law is just a big inconvenience. Altho I can see why they would do such a thing, to make everyone who needs to talk on the phone while driving obtain a hands-free device is dumb.

Going along with Eor, I believe the actual impairment comes from talking, not holding the phone. They did this on Myth Busters, showing that the concentration put into a phone conversation can be as overwhelming as being drunk. I don't necessarily believe that's true, but it shows how demanding a phone call can be.

Why make a law that forces people to do something when personal discretion should be the limiter? I can text or read while driving; it just takes me a long time. As long as the person driving understands the dangers and is responsible, why should the law force something upon them? They can end the phone call at any moment, returning to their "non-impaired" self.

What? For the same reason that "I feel fine" doesn't cut it when driving drunk. Trusting people to do the "safe" thing voluntarily doesn't work

Most people have no problem talking on the phone while driving straight on the highway, no doubt about that. My biggest pet peeve with cell phone talkers are those who are trying to back out of parking spaces or merge lanes while doing so, because those types of actions (to me) require more anticipation and judgment than "standard" driving.

 

[snex]

plenty of studies have shown that being on the cell phone while driving is just as bad as driving drunk, and that using a hands-free device shows no significant improvement. the problem is that when talking on the phone, your mind is in the conversation rather than on the road. you are actively engaging in something else, which is why you dont have the same level of distraction from a radio or a GPS.

of course, if youre listening to rush limbaugh, then the inevitable screaming that results may count as a distraction too.

 

[HyugaRicdeau]

I don't see how the law will really solve the problem, for reasons people have pointed out already. The best 'solution' that I can come up with is that if you're talking on the phone (or whatever), you should have to use the far right lane.

 

[pockyD]

I don't see how the law will really solve the problem, for reasons people have pointed out already. The best 'solution' that I can come up with is that if you're talking on the phone (or whatever), you should have to use the far right lane.

The far right lane gets the most exit/merge traffic, though. I'd rather advocate it for the far left lane.

 

[snex]

I don't see how the law will really solve the problem, for reasons people have pointed out already. The best 'solution' that I can come up with is that if you're talking on the phone (or whatever), you should have to use the far right lane.

cops can tell if youre driving on the phone a lot easier than they can tell if youre driving drunk.

 

[HyugaRicdeau]

Yeah, the merge traffic is a problem, but the left lane is generally the 'fast lane,' so there could be more potential for unaware drivers to interfere with traffic. I don't really know which would be better, but it would have to be the far left or far right since there's one less adjacent lane to potentially interfere with.

I'm not sure what you're responding to specifically snex. I think we agree already that there's not a compelling reason to believe that the law requiring a hands-free device while on the phone will greatly reduce accidents from related distractions. My idea is that if people have to use the right lane (or whatever) to talk, then hopefully that would get as many hazardous drivers out of the way of drivers in other lanes as possible. Whether it actually does work or not I don't know.

 

[snex]

my argument is that driving on the phone should result in similar or even the same consequences as driving drunk... large fines, loss of license, etc. i see no reason that already-existing DUI laws could not be expanded to include it.

 

[Vro]

What? For the same reason that "I feel fine" doesn't cut it when driving drunk. Trusting people to do the "safe" thing voluntarily doesn't work

Which is why I said "They can end the phone call at any moment, returning to their "non-impaired" self. "

But I agree with the rest of what you said.

my argument is that driving on the phone should result in similar or even the same consequences as driving drunk... large fines, loss of license, etc. i see no reason that already-existing DUI laws could not be expanded to include it.

So you're saying if I need to pick up my phone while driving, I should be subject to fines and loss of license? There are an infinite amount of situations in which a person would be on the phone while driving, all plausible and somewhat safe in real life.

Drinking is nowhere near the same. I can't "turn off" my drunken state. While intoxication is not encouraged and nowhere near helpful in anyways, communication can be.

 

[pockyD]

Yeah, the merge traffic is a problem, but the left lane is generally the 'fast lane,' so there could be more potential for unaware drivers to interfere with traffic. I don't really know which would be better, but it would have to be the far left or far right since there's one less adjacent lane to potentially interfere with.

Speed doesn't matter IMO. After a certain threshold, and especially in a situation where the speed is held constant (like on the highway), the drivers' awareness doesn't change with speed increases (though of course, after a while, it starts again as the driver is actively scanning for police presence ). I think it's significantly more important to minimize the risk of incident rather than the consequences of incident, because honestly, a traffic accident at 65 mph and 75 mph won't produce drastically different results.

Which is why I said "They can end the phone call at any moment, returning to their "non-impaired" self. "

But I agree with the rest of what you said.

But the mere concession that the driver is choosing to be "impaired" should be raising concerns

 

[Vro]

But the mere concession that the driver is choosing to be "impaired" should be raising concerns

So I can't pick up my phone during a car drive? What if I was expecting it? What if it's your parents? Your spouse? Your child? Directions? Plans? There are an innumerable amount of occasions in which you'd be likely to use your phone while driving. Concession to pick up a phone doesn't seem to me like a big deal. It's how you handle it.

 

[pockyD]

So I can't pick up my phone during a car drive? What if I was expecting it? What if it's your parents? Your spouse? Your child? Directions? Plans? There are an innumerable amount of occasions in which you'd be likely to use your phone while driving. Concession to pick up a phone doesn't seem to me like a big deal. It's how you handle it.

Yes, that's what the law says

The vast majority of those don't sound urgent, but obviously, there's no way to discern whether a call is urgent or not without answering it (or at least checking the caller ID, which already takes your eyes off the road).

And it may not be a big deal to you, but there are plenty of people who are incapable of handling a phone and the car at the same time without presenting a heightened risk of danger to the others around them on the road.

I agree that more often than not it won't be a problem, but if some idiot on a cell phone costs even one person their life because they were yapping about what they saw on 'dancing with the stars' last night, then it's a situation that needs to be looked at

Is there a reason that most people can't just pull off the road to answer their phones? Or is it merely the "inconvenience" (which can be a huge deal, I guess, especially if you're stuck in traffic... maybe a maximum speed limit for phone use?)

 

[snex]

So you're saying if I need to pick up my phone while driving, I should be subject to fines and loss of license? There are an infinite amount of situations in which a person would be on the phone while driving, all plausible and somewhat safe in real life.

you pull off the road if you need to take the call.

 

[lonejedi]

I personally believe that this law should really be towards younger/newer drivers. I myself am a young driver at 17, and am still getting used to driving. My dad drives for a living, and he says it takes years for one to be able to react to crashes, or misturns, or anything that could cause an accident. Teenagers are already inexperienced, giving them a cellphone while driving is only going to make accidents more common with them.

 

[Chaco]

Wow, finally a thread about this.

But it is surprising to me how many wrecks potentially can happen with the use of cell phones when driving. I see people look down and text as well, while driving. and have also seen wrecks happen when this is happening. I do think something should be done about it. I agree that you can't turn off a drunken state, but seem people aren't smart enough to turn off the phone when driving. And my personal favorite putting on make-up in the car. I mean, there should be fines for accidents with cell phones. But other than that, they can be needed in emergencies. So I don't think a permanent law is needed.

 

[pockyD]

Assuming there was some way to discern an incoming call as an emergency (or maybe just emergencies with outgoing calls, i guess), there is no reason that the officer that stops you won't show you some leniency, the same way they do with people that are speeding with legitimate emergencies.

Without a "permanent law" (I don't really know what you mean by 'permanent'; should there be a temporary law until people learn to drive better or something?), police would have no recourse to punish someone whose phone use truly affects their driving, aside from the typical non-specific reckless driving type things.

 

[Chaco]

I think they should put like a period of time in which they give out tickets for use of cell phones, in highly congested areas or things of that nature.

 

[PiSToLZ]

i think that it should be illegal because not everyone can drive with one hand
and driving with one hand gives you less control therefore probably causing an accident.
Radios you only listen to and it is suppose to "relax you"
children can be annoying but adults are able to tone out other noises so that shouldn't be a problem
The real question here is
are americans less focused these days?

 

[Stroupes]

I think there are times to talk on the phone while driving, and times when you shouldn't.
Emergency, yes. Socializing, no.

 

[Johnthegalactic]

You can pull over to talk on a cellphone if it is an emergency, which means it is so important that you should be able to stop driving, bridges are an exception, tunnels can be an exception also.

 

[Stroupes]

Or you can save yourself the inconvience of pulling over by telling your caller that you'll call back later.

 

[Johnthegalactic]

Or you can save yourself the inconvience of pulling over by telling your caller that you'll call back later.

Good point!

And recently, I have been taking drivers education, and talking on the cellphone is practically a sin to do while in the Driver's ed car.

 

[Stroupes]

Even given that it's an emergency, I still probably wouldn't answer/use my phone anyway.

 

[doom dragon 105]

if you crash while taking on the phone your probably not a good drivier to begin with.


my mother has been driving all her life shes 49 years old and drives a bmw. shes a great stick driver. she red lined the bmw while text messaging then had the reflexes to down shift and slow down, dive across 4 lanes of traffic then took a turn at 30 mph. still text messaging and occasionally glancing up.

so if your a good driver it shouldn't be a problem if your not so good then don't do it its that simple

 

[Mini Mic]

Yesterday I was on the free way with some friends of mine and there was this absolute ******** in the car just ahead of us who I swore must have been drunk from the way he was just swerving between lanes. So anyway we overtook him to find he was talking on his phone, so I'm against it. It's stupid, dangerous and selfish because it endangers the lives of others.

 

[Arturito_Burrito]

Are there any statistics that say how many crashes or run lights because people are talking on there phone? Because I really don't see the big deal about it. I'm not sure how much a phone affects you but my dad drives drunk pretty much every day and hes never been in a car accident and he drives better than a lot of sober people out there. I don't really agree with what he does but he'll never listen to me I've tried to get him to stop drinking so much ( sometimes I swear he drinks 40 beers in one day ) but at most he stops for a day or two.

Anyways what I'm getting at is does it really affect driving? Bad drivers are out there with out cellphones too I've actually gotten a ride from one of my mom's friend and she never used her cellphone while she drove but hell every time a light turned yellow she would slam on the breaks even if we where 2 feet from intersection. I was actually afraid from getting crashed for the first time in my life.

 

[mzink*]

so if your a good driver it shouldn't be a problem if your not so good then don't do it its that simple

If only the world were that simple. Unfortunately it's not, granted certain people do have the sense to stop talking on the cell while driving if it causes problems. The more distraction I have, the lower my driving skill falls, so I stopped using my cell in the car long ago, but I know people that are just the same when it comes to distractions yet they take risk upon risk over and over despite near accidents.

 

[doom dragon 105]

If only the world were that simple. Unfortunately it's not, granted certain people do have the sense to stop talking on the cell while driving if it causes problems. The more distraction I have, the lower my driving skill falls, so I stopped using my cell in the car long ago, but I know people that are just the same when it comes to distractions yet they take risk upon risk over and over despite near accidents.

now a days anythings a distraction the radio kids a hot girl in the convertible next to you everything distracts people even your friends in the backseats making jokes so a phone is the least distracting in my opinion

 

[mzink*]

now a days anythings a distraction the radio kids a hot girl in the convertible next to you everything distracts people even your friends in the backseats making jokes so a phone is the least distracting in my opinion

A cell phone requires you to respond and interact, drawing your focus and attention toward it. With other outside distractions (ie) radio, loud friends, hot chick in the car, you are not required to interact, thus less of your focus is pulled away from what you are doing.

 

[snex]

You can pull over to talk on a cellphone if it is an emergency, which means it is so important that you should be able to stop driving, bridges are an exception, tunnels can be an exception also.

good luck talking on your cellphone in a tunnel!

 

[Modest_Egoist]

I don't think this should be a law. Bad drivers are bad drivers, regardless of the presence of distractions or lack thereof.

 

[pockyD]

I don't think this should be a law. Bad drivers are bad drivers, regardless of the presence of distractions or lack thereof.

Are you saying that the presence of a distraction won't make a bad driver an even worse driver?