My personal view on the matter is simple. The banning of cell phone usage while driving is simply overkill. Although most drivers would agree that using their cell phone while driving is a distraction. There is not enough evidence real evidence to warrant a ban on them. I bet those same drivers would also agree that drinking a beverage, changing a compact disc on their car stereo, having screaming children in the backseat and even looking at a global positioning screens are distractions too. But are we writing to our legislators and protesting to ban these activities while driving? I didn’t think so. We are putting way too much emphasis on cell phones and it is simply a waste of time and money. We are too quick to blame something or someone else when an issue like this matter arises when we should be taking personal responsibility and use some common sense.
California State Senator Joe Simitian of D-Palo Alto, author of California’s landmark laws on hand-held cell phones and texting and a pro ban on cell phones and driving, says that current and past data collected on the issue are not precise. Simitian tells associated administrators their research gives “narrow review” and they agree (Bizjak). When I was comparing research statistics on cell phone users and accidents I noticed variations in data collected. It made me wonder how they can derive a conclusion from inconsistent statistics.
For example:
Harvard researchers estimated that drivers on cellphones cause about 2,600 fatal crashes a year and 570,000 accidents (Turn).
The Harvard Center for Risk Analysis calculated that 2,600 people die each year as a result of using cell phones while driving. They estimated that another 330,000 are injured (Car).
1.4 million accidents annually, are caused by cell phone conversations, and 200,000 are blamed on text messaging according to the National Safety Council (Halsey III).
All of these research statistics do have one thing in common as Senator Simitian pointed out though. They all focused their attention at cell phones while driving. If we are going to pick this fight why not attack the overall issue, distracted driving, why focus only on cell phones. I am sure it’s because it is the easiest issue to gain support for.
It is hard for me to support a ban on cell phones while driving when there are many other distractions just as dangerous as cell phone use that are getting ignored. In fact I can’t even find any statistics on how many accidents occur while people where eating, putting on make-up, shaving, drinking (non-alcoholic beverage) or just tuning their radios. And if you are going to support a ban on such matters why are there variables such as, use of a hand-held device or only bans on teen drivers. This makes no sense to me.
Works Cited
Bizjak, Tony. "CELL PHONE BAN FAILING; NOW WHAT?" The Modesto Bee. 4 Feb. 2010, ProQuest Newsstand, ProQuest. Web. 6 Feb. 2010.
“Car Accident Cell Phone Statistics.” Edgar Snyder and Associates 2010, Web. Feb 8 2010.
Halsey III, Ashley. “28 percent of accidents involve talking, texting on cellphones” Washington Post. 10 Jan 2010. Web. 8 February 2010.
"Turn Car On; Turn Phone Off." New York Times 13 Dec. 2009: 8. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 8 Feb. 2010.
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