Should driver of automobiles be prohibited from using cell phones

Should Drivers Be Prohibited from Using Cell Phones

Cell phones have gone from being a luxury item to becoming a necessity . Individuals use cell phones to keep in touch with family conduct business , and often to get driving directions . One only needs to look around in to discover how frequently cell phones are used many individuals use them regardless of where they are , including in class , during church , at the movie theatre , and it is not uncommon to have a conversation distracted by a ringing cell phone . Drivers rarely hesitate to make

and receive calls while on the road . It necessarily follows that such use would be questioned by authorities . New York was the first state to prohibit the use of cell phones (hand held ) while driving . Many other states have passed similar laws . The question one must ask is this : does using a cell phone while driving create a greater risk than engaging in any other activity (which requires one to take at least one hand off of the steering wheel ? After all , drivers have been known to eat , drink , smoke , apply makeup and tend to unruly children - all while driving . Using a cell phone while driving is the latest in a long line of distractions , but it does not increase the risk of getting into an accident

Approximately 120 million Americans subscribe to mobile services According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NGTSA

73 percent of cell phone subscribers use their phones while driving to stay in touch with loved ones , conduct business , report emergencies call for assistance and report aggressive or drunk drivers

Not all cell phone use is compulsory , however . Many individuals pass the time while driving by talking on the phone . In to gain awareness of cell phone use on the road , one only needs to enter a highway and look around - everywhere drivers are talking on their phones . The two greatest risks posed by cell phone use are : first , the driver must take his or her eyes off of the road in to dial second , drivers become so absorbed in their conversations that the distraction takes away from the attention to the road (Cell Phones and Driving

Research into the relationship between cell phones and traffic accidents is extensive . One such study found that 37 percent of teens found text messages distracted them during driving . However , another 39 percent admitted to being distracted by one 's own emotional state or by having friends in the car . Another study found that 80 percent of crashes were caused by driver inattention , but in the majority of cases the inattention was not due to cell phone use (Cell Phones and Driving On the contrary , a study performed by the Transportation Resource Board in 2003 found that the three main causes of driver distraction were rubbernecking (usually in response to an accident , driver fatigue , and looking at scenery . Even in the midst of heavy cell phone use , it wasn 't listed as a major...