Should using the phone while driving be outlawed?

[CyberInferno]

Should using the phone while driving be outlawed?

This poll is in conjunction with this week's Technology Round-up (http://bit.ly/APtech042609).

[hockeyguitar99]

I think that people should have to use some sort of Hands-Free option

[CyberInferno]

I think that people should have to use some sort of Hands-Free option
That always seemed like a good choice to me too, but most research shows that hands-free options are actually no safer (http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2008-03-09-drivers-listening-cellphone_N.htm) because the driver is still mentally distracted.

[irthesteve]

In California it's illegal to call or text unless you are using a hands-free device.

Ultimately it's all dependent on the driver. For example I only drive with one hand ever anyway, so putting a phone in the other doesn't change my driving style. The only difference is my talking, which is the same as talking to a passenger.

Americans are mostly idiots though and can't multi-task like that, so it should be a law

[carnotaurhunter]

I think that people should have to use some sort of Hands-Free option
If that were a law, I'd demand that the earpiece come with the phone.

[kylestarr]

damn... thinking about it, i want to change my answer to yes. Whether it's at the state or federal level doesn't really matter. What should not be outlawed (if using the phone is legal) is putting the phone up to one's ear. Its not holding on to the phone that affects people, it's being on the phone period. Whether you are using a bluetooth or speaker phone, your mind is elsewhere, not on the road. living in California, it is required that i use a hands-free device in order to talk on the phone. children under 18 cannot use the phone in the car period.

simply put, if eating and drinking are allowed in the car, one should be able to use 1 hand to hold a phone next to his/her ear. on a larger scale, it is a dangerous practice to use a communication device in the car period. the sad part is, i still do it. i text as well which is the dumbest thing i can do in the car.

my opinion might change on this if i can see some statistics of accidents/yr. since 1904

[kylestarr]

If that were a law, I'd demand that the earpiece come with the phone.

it's illegal where i live. i'm guessing that the Bluetooth Special Interest Group had something to do with it.

[AussieBoy]

That always seemed like a good choice to me too, but most research shows that hands-free options are actually no safer (http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2008-03-09-drivers-listening-cellphone_N.htm) because the driver is still mentally distracted.

i know what ur saying, but then they should ban u talking to ur passengers as well cause thats just as distracting

in Aus u get fined and points deducted if ur talking on the phone, hands free has to use and no phone at all for provisional drivers

my first crash will be from checking out good sorts when driving, i almost break my neck looking sometimes

[spunkmastaflex]

i have no issues with cell phone driving on such places as the expressway and such. However, i do think it should be outlawed in more urban areas where you have to concentrate more due to a high amount of traffic

[dpetty21]

I think it's a stupid idea. The government needs to stop trying to get into everybodys business and regulate everything. Fuck off already. I agree it appears to not be so safe but that may not be the case. It's the drivers themselves making the mistakes. Cell phones are just a way out because you can be easilly distracted by a number of things. Other passengers in the car are just as distracting as talking on the phone. Actuallly more distracting because you tend to look at the person your talking to where as in a car by yourself on the phone you are still looking forward paying attention to the road. The only thing that I can see as a problem is texting while driving. I know I'm not for regulating everything but texting makes you not look at the road and I've seen people have many close calls while texting. I, for one rearended someone while texting and I know it was stupid. We will never be completely safe in a vehicle because we are humans and we do make mistakes an we will get distracted regardless if it's a cell phone or multiple passengers or just distracted by something on the side of the road. Don't put all the blame on cell phones themselves.

[briewer]

No, this is the stupidest thing someone can worry themselves with. Even if we outlaw talking on the phone while driving, there's still more than enough shitty drivers to get into car accidents and kill people. The net effect will be minimal at best.

[CyberInferno]

i know what ur saying, but then they should ban u talking to ur passengers as well cause thats just as distracting

in Aus u get fined and points deducted if ur talking on the phone, hands free has to use and no phone at all for provisional drivers

my first crash will be from checking out good sorts when driving, i almost break my neck looking sometimes
I think it's a stupid idea. The government needs to stop trying to get into everybodys business and regulate everything. Fuck off already. I agree it appears to not be so safe but that may not be the case. It's the drivers themselves making the mistakes. Cell phones are just a way out because you can be easilly distracted by a number of things. Other passengers in the car are just as distracting as talking on the phone. Actuallly more distracting because you tend to look at the person your talking to where as in a car by yourself on the phone you are still looking forward paying attention to the road. The only thing that I can see as a problem is texting while driving. I know I'm not for regulating everything but texting makes you not look at the road and I've seen people have many close calls while texting. I, for one rearended someone while texting and I know it was stupid. We will never be completely safe in a vehicle because we are humans and we do make mistakes an we will get distracted regardless if it's a cell phone or multiple passengers or just distracted by something on the side of the road. Don't put all the blame on cell phones themselves.
I think passengers are equally if not more distracting. But the key difference is that passengers provide an extra set of eyes. I can think of a few times friends of mine have helped me avoid an accident. If I had been talkign to them on the phone, it's quite possible I would have gotten in one (and I say this as a driver with one accident that was not my fault in eight years of driving).

I understand the fear of government control, but there are some things that the government should do to protect people. If the government didn't regulate drunk driving, the accidents due to that alone would skyrocket. Studies show that the reflexes of someone who is talking on the phone while driving are as bad as those of a drunk driver (http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-6090342-7.html).

I'm definitely playing the devil's advocate here. I use my phone while I drive and text as well as talk (though I at least can text without looking). And I drive a stick shift on top of everything else. So I'm basically flailing as a drive ;-) That being said, I would still like for the government to ban cell phone use in the car. The only reason I do it now is because people expect me to. Society says that we should always be on call with our mobile phones. At least if it were illegal, I would have an excuse.

[Machu505]

I believe texting while driving should be illegal, but not talking on the phone. However, if action is to be taken it should be taken on a state level.

[icekold23]

I text while driving. Not like full on convos but like telling someone I'm near their house. Just because it's against the law doesnt mean people will stop doing it.