Drivers Ignoring Cell Phone Bans

Tue May 23, 2006 5:52PM EDT

See Comments (23)

This from England, where the use of cell phones is banned while driving: At least 50 percent of the driving population is essentially ignoring the law, happily chatting away (or, by God, texting) while driving on the wrong side of the road.

Strangely, about 75 percent of drivers support the law and think those who violate it should be punished with a fine. Of course, we all ignore speed limits, that "come to a complete stop" rule, and that pesky yellow light, so I suppose this is just a natural extension of growing driver apathy.

In related news, studies have shown that it's not the looking away from the road to dial a number that makes driving with a cell phone so dangerous. Rather, it's the concentration required to focus on a conversation with someone not in the vehicle that distracts the driver enough to make him a real menace behind the wheel. In other words: "Hands-free" devices don't make you any safer while you're chatting away.

A year or so ago, fellow Yahoo! Techie Roger Hibbert and I put a theory to the test at our local Malibu Grand Prix: That driving with a cell phone was just as dangerous as driving drunk. Our experiments, wherein Hibbert consumed half a bottle of vodka, were inconclusive, but tended to support the concensus: He was just as bad a driver after five drinks as he was while trying to juggle a handset and a steering wheel.

Does your county or state ban cell phones while driving? And do people actually follow the law? I'd love to hear how successful these early rules have been, and whether accident rates have declined as a result.

Comments on Drivers Ignoring Cell Phone Bans

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  • 6 Posted by darrelfarnham on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:36PM EDT Report Abuse

    in ny state talking on cell phone without handsfree unit is against the law. no one obeys the rule.

  • 7 Posted by jeo143 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:32PM EDT Report Abuse

    The reality is, most younger people are able to do multiple things at once. The ones who tend to cause the most concern for me while driving are the soccer moms driving their suv around while talking on the phone. But putting the argument of age aside, so if the hands-free is essentially pointless because it's the thought and act of having a conversation that causes problems, then why shouldn't this be allowed? After all, how is talking on a headset any different than talking to someone in the passenger seat? Many people use one hand while driving, and many people talk to their passengers. So how is a person talking to their passenger while only using one hand any different from someone talking on a cell phone?

  • 8 Posted by szam199_9 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:52PM EDT Report Abuse

    When the Germans began engineering the automobile for Americans, they had a few issues to overcome. Not the least of these was the cup holder. In Germany, they did not have cars with cup holders. It was illegal to drive with only one hand. The engineers could not understand why the cars they exported would have cup holders. They realized that driving at highway speeds, the weight and inertia of a 1 1/2 ton vehicle will crash through solid concrete! So in comparing the driving habits of Americans and Germans, one could come to the conclusion that if sipping that hot coffee could cause unsightly tread marks off the road and into the ditch, why do we do anything that would cause us to avert our attention while driving? Americans love their freedom, and so be it. Let's see how free we will be in the hospital in traction after a 6 minute phone conversation with the ex- at 65 MPH and a very rude interruption when the airbags go off!!! Put the cell phone down, shut it off. There is nothing more important than making sure that EVERY family gets all of their members home each and every day.

  • 9 Posted by rkk98 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:43PM EDT Report Abuse

    I live in Texas where it was legal to drink and drive, as long as you wore your seatbelt, until the feds threatened to stop highway funds about 4 years ago. Don't misunderstand, d.w.i and d.u.i. were illegal but one or two wouldn't get you a ticket. I have strong feelings about cell phones and driving, not against the law here either. Last week I saw a concrete truck swerve across into oncoming traffic and kill 3 men in a small pickup. I later read that he admitted he was looking for his ringing cell phone. I travel and have seen two other tragic accidents of similar nature. Attention gets diverted from driving and people die. That's the bottom line!!

  • 10 Posted by frevelcason on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:03PM EDT Report Abuse

    Yep that's right. They should outlaw everything in the car too. No changing stations, putting on make-up, talking to the kids in the back, taking in or out a cd, eating, etc. Just ban everything then. I see cops talking on their cell phones. And they ain't goin to a crime scene cause their lights aren't on. The states and governments should just ban everything fun or that taste good, check New York.

  • 11 Posted by robindeoraj on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:46PM EDT Report Abuse

    hi Chris, I live in Florida where its legal to talk & drive at the same time; I wish they would pass some kind of law here, you can drive behind someone on the interstate while they cellphone talk for hours - if its that important, can you pull over? Of course you d be guessing as to where or what they re doing as you d be very lucky to get any kinda of signals. Added to that the generally very poor standard of driving here, and it makes a recipe for well, laywers, chiros and doctors are all making money. I came from UK where it was illegal to talk on the phone, we would take a call, but tell the person on the other end we were driving, make it quick, so if its important you get the message quickly , then hang up, much better than driving around for hours on the phone not paying attention around you. We need to start keeping stats on crashes that were avoidable if parties were not using the cellphones......

  • 12 Posted by molebuster2 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:24PM EDT Report Abuse

    There Should be a # to call to turn them in .Here in Los Angeles it is rediculous. they drive in the fast lane,doing 1/2 the speed and yaking on the Fone.I wish i could get a device that could fry the fone. Where's "BOND" now. Andy 'BOND now

  • 13 Posted by lubiloo2 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 6:59PM EDT Report Abuse

    Hi, everyone. I live in the UK and totally approve of the ban on cell-phone use whilst driving unless the driver has a full hands-free kit installed. I might be making some wicked assumptions here, but in UK the majority of cars - possibly unlike in the US - still use stick-shift; our roads aren't very straight, many of them are narrow (20ft or less) and traffic is congested. I do multi-tasking, (I'm a working mum) have to drive a lot and have blue-tooth wired into my car. Not very expensive and so easy to use. My friend's 11 year old grandson had both legs chopped off by a texting joy-rider, who was texting his mates to tell them how fast he was driving (70mph) in a residential area. This ban is for a good reason; I defy anyone who drives a manual gear-shift car, on twisting roads with hidden junctions, or in a built-up area, to change gear, stear, signal and manoeuvre AND dial/answer a mobile telephone. It's not the talking that does the damage, it's the making or receiving the call or - as in this lunatic's actions - writing a text message. Thanks.

  • 14 Posted by anton195969@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:56PM EDT Report Abuse

    Well we know how "DANGER" is any people at the cell phone and driving but for me at Californis the new law is ridicules only $ 25.00 dollars for the first time if going to put a fine have to be BIG probably going to be the only way to tech the people to be less "DANGER" at the road.

  • 15 Posted by lostsin@sbcglobal.net on Tue Jun 12, 2007 11:28PM EDT Report Abuse

    and to that one guy talking about multi tasking ooooooooooo please i live in san diego and everyone i see going in and out of there lanes or high and low speeds are on the darn phone even these mothers whos children r screaming would rather talk on the phone then pay attention you guys r abusing the advanced technologies we have

  • 16 Posted by eaflacks@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:50PM EDT Report Abuse

    this is why they invented hands free head sets people. so if you must take a call you at least can drive with two hands, and not with one on your head.having that law with out a dought is safer. sighed a concerned driver

  • 17 Posted by glaughy on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:10PM EDT Report Abuse

    I lost my oldest child on 12/21/2006 (Brittanie Montgomery) to an automobile accident - at the time of the accident, she was talking on her cell phone to her best friend. It is just as bad as driving drunk, and should be against the law. Oklahoma recently lost another child - to a driver that was talking on their cell phone and did not see the child. How many does it take??

  • 18 Posted by goofieshouse@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:11PM EDT Report Abuse

    I just cannot understand the need for cellphone use while driving, what is so important it cannot wait until parked?? Drivers walk to their car and then dial while pulling out of the space, and as for a $25 fine, come on, get real that will never deter anyone!!

  • 19 Posted by lorenegremmel@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 6:56PM EDT Report Abuse

    I, too, believe it distracts drivers using cell phones. I think a law should be passed doing away with using cell phones while driving. I have seen too many almost having a wreck while using a cell phone. They have to use one hand making a turn and it almost causes a wreck. I think that is one thing that some teenagers is having wrecks. I don't use a cell phone while driving. If possible,when I get a call, I don't answer or if possible pull off to the side and answer the cell.

  • 20 Posted by cindy.garrido on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:25PM EDT Report Abuse

    Cell phones can be great help when the police or emrgency personnel need to be called, but there is really no reason to keep it on while in the car. I find my best bet is to turn the ringer off so I don't feel compelled to answer the phone--and I also like to put my bag with the phone in it into the back seat. I answer messages when i get to my destination, or, if there is something I remember that I really need to take care of, I pull into a McDonald's parking lot. I am driving around with my kids and the drivers and roads here in New England are crazy, and unfamiliar to me because I am from the midwest. I need all of my mental capacity to drive! My best friend, though, constantly calls me while she is in the car with her kids, which worries me. Every time the call is dropped I think she had an accident! She's insane to do it and I tell her so, but she thinks she can handle it!

  • 21 Posted by playerofsoccer on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:14PM EDT Report Abuse

    I appriciate how many differing opinions there are about using cell phones while driving, that is the beauty of democracy. I think that the government already has a say in just about everything else in our lives, why not give them one more thing? While we're at it, why don't we ban smoking, coffee, and eating? The point is that people in a free society unfortunately are charged with the responsibility of ensuring their own safety where practical. I admit that sometimes I do use my cell phone while driving, and it does effect the way I drive, and I try not to if I can help it. However, I would not agree with a law that would prevent me from doing it completely. At some point, as free people, we need to draw the line, and stop the government from taking over our lives completely. Those of you who do not talk on your cell phones while driving, thank you. Those of you who do, please try and make the conversations brief, and keep it off the highways, I'm tired of following you at 55 in a 65(in the fast lane)! But the "there oughtta be a law" mentality in our quasi-socialist society has gotten out of hand and has turned into "we're going to make a law". Lets leave the socialism to the Europeans......ha ha.......

  • 22 Posted by m_a_naboulsi on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:32PM EDT Report Abuse

    I believe that there is a middle ground that does not compromise safety. We have developed and proved a system that balances the entire driving experience with emphasis on safety, but still allowing drivers to use communication technologies while driver. Our system has the following key features: 1- Hands are monitored to be on the steering wheel, otherwise devices are disabled 2- incoming communications are silenced when Drivers who are passing, merging, changing lanes etc. 3-System is calibrated to drivers skills and experience and fits into a cell phone. What we need is to educate our legislative bodies to require a device like ours on every vehicle. Auto manufacturers are aware of our device and some are already using it overseas, to avoid our patents. let's face it, if we turn off our cell phones, we will be passed by Europe, Japan and the rest of the world. We need to stay connected to stay competitive, but we need to do it safety. We are looking for capital and for political mentors. Pleasae` contact us on www.actplace.net. Thank you: Mouhamad A. Naboulsi, president Applied Computer Technologies, Inc.

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