Cell Phones and Driving
Over the past several years, more and more states have begun passing laws banning drivers from using their cell phones while on the road. The growing list of states with cell phone laws now contains California, Washington, New York, New Jersey, Utah, Connecticut, and the District of Columbia. Drivers who get caught talking on their handsets or sending text messages could face tickets of over $100, although you can only receive the ticket if you were pulled over for another offense in some states. That’s a pretty steep fee for using your cell phone and it’s left many drivers wondering what the big deal is.
Why are Cell Phones being Targeted?
So why exactly are states cracking down on cell phone use while in the car all of the sudden? Mostly because recent research shows that the dangers of driving while on the phone have been compared to the dangers of driving while under the influence. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released a study stating nearly 80% of crashes and 65% of near-crashes occur due to some form of driver inattention within three seconds of the crash. Of all the forms of driver inattention, cell phone use and drowsiness rank at the top. Since drivers using hands-free devices are just as likely to have an accident as those using a handset, researchers believe the cell phones aren’t actually the issue here - it’s the conversations drivers are having on them causing distractions. Despite this research, more people are driving and talking than ever before and the bans aren’t being exactly being enforced to the fullest degree.
Are Bans Really being Enforced?
From state to state, the ban on driving while on the cell phone is only enforced from various degrees. For instance, some states allow drivers to use hands-free devices and others don’t ban drivers from sending text messages. Another issue is that the fines imposed for driving while on the phone are little more than a slap on the wrist. The tickets for some states are as low as $20, meaning most drivers won’t think twice about it, even if the laws were strictly enforced. This leads to a further concern – most police departments aren’t in a rush to hand out fines for driving and talking. Some might add in the cell phone ticket if they catch a driver speeding or running a red light, but few actively seek to pull over drivers on their phones. So while some states seem to have the right idea when it comes improving safety by cutting out cell phones on the road, it remains to be seen just how effectively these laws are implemented and enforced.
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