Should it be against the law to talk on a cell phone while driving?

Question

I live in a Senior Apartment Building and a very dear lady who lived here was killed as she pulled out onto the street when a teenage girl who was driving while talking on her cell phone, hit her with such a force that her car pulled a turn and her car was knocked across three lanes they had to cut her out of her car. She died almost immediately.Her funeral will be tomorrow.We who knew this lady are so saddened by the loss. It need not have happened.

Answer 1

Any and  all kinds of phone use should be baned in a car. Hands free included. And life time suspension should be the penalty.

Answer 2

I agree with you 150 percent all the way...........

A study in which both the participants and the scientists got sloshed has shown that motorists who talk on cell phones while driving are as impaired as drunk drivers.

A recent poll revealed that two-thirds of Americans would support a ban on using cell phones while driving. A separate poll found 28 percent of cell phone users say they sometimes don't drive as safely as they should while talking.

Answer 3

So many people think they can multi-task safely, that the only people who should be banned from yakking and driving are the people who can't do it, which is absolute baloney.  

The human mind is not a multi-core processor.  It is like a Windows95 computer with 8mb of memory, the more you try to do, the worse you do everything.

People who are so wrapped up in their own importance in the grand scheme of things that they put the property and lives of others at risk by yakking while in control of the vehicle should have the full force of the law broght to bear upon them.  It should be a severe ticket, and, if in an accident, the penalties should be similar to those imposed upon drunk drivers.

Answer 4

Yes. I haven't even mastered the art of walking and chewing gum.

Answer 5

In a lot of countries it is illegal to use a cell phone while driving but in the case that you mentioned the sole reason for the accident was not that the other driver was on her phone.It seems that the other driver pulled into a street infront of the cell - phone - using - driver without the necessary precaution.

Sorry for your loss.

Answer 6

It is against the law here in the UK and for good reason i reckon Not that it seems to bother people i still see people all the time using their phones blatantly  

Answer 7

i dont know you can get a blue tooth and be able to talk>

Answer 8

In the USA it is illegal.  

Answer 9

it should be against the law to do anything other than drive,<

Answer 10

Last year paula&i were sitting at a red light behind a man on a motorcycle. I could see the truck coming up from behind me and noticed that he wasn't going to stop for the red light. I also noticed that he was talking on the cell phone. He never did see us until there was this BANG! Yes i think this would be a good law to put into place.

COME ON PEOPLE: DON'T BE AFFRAID TO PUSH THE STAR BUTTON, IT HELPS GET THE MESSAGE OUT TO OTHERS.................and its free.

Answer 11

Some states have already banned it.

Here in Washington state, it became illegal to text-message while driving beginning Jan 1 2008, and it became illegal to talk on a cell phone beginning July 1 2008 unless you are using a hands-free headset.

I'm sorry to hear about the tragedy. This type of thing is why more and more states are passing laws against it. Perhaps writing a letter to your state representative about it would be in order.

Edit: to the person above me: its not illegal in the entire USA. Its only illegal in certain states.

Answer 12

In my opinion, ALL cell phone use, while driving a car should be banned.  Period.

Hands free or no, the distraction is still pretty severe.  While many people may deny this, it has been proven that no one is truely able to do two things at once.  Some people are very good at switching tasks rapidly, but, at any one moment, the brain can only do one thing at a time.  Tests have shown that when someone attempts to drive and have a phone conversation at the same time, BOTH functions suffer and neither of those operations is done as well as when done separately.

Unfortuately, state legislators don't have the courage to pay attention to the facts and won't take any action to REALLY improve the safety on the roads by voting for legislation attempting to modify people's behavior.  Instead of making REAL changes, they answer the clamor to "do something" by requiring "hands free" devices, when the real distraction is NOT what the hands are doing, but the brain.

REAL effective legislation would be something that bans eating, putting on make up, stereos and similar distractions.  But, I don't see that happening anytime soon.

Answer 13

Cell phone and what do these kids call it texing? While driving should be against the law!  I am sorry to hear about your friend. My guess it that young girl will have to live with this memory for the rest of her life. It is a sad but true fact that driving and talking on the phone are a very dangerous combination. Years ago when the CB fad was going on the same thing was happening.  

Answer 14

I think it should be illegal to use a cell phone while driving. I see too many drivers yakking away on their cell phones and not paying attention to the road. One night I saw my neighbor miss her driveway and hit her mailbox while talking on her cell phone. I was shocked to find out she was completely sober. I guess that is what happens when you get busy yakking on your cell phone and not paying attention to the road. I'm just glad it was her mailbox and not a person.

Answer 15

It is sad that a Senior had to die like this. It must have been quick. Maybe your friend didn't suffer. This girl will have to live with this for the rest of her life. I see people talking on the phone everywhere I go, they talk while driving, the talk while walking, it is crazy! I have a cell phone but I think it is for emergency use only. It is very sad that it is going to take unnecessary deaths for States to do something about this! I also agree with Don about staring your question so that other people in my contacts will respond to your question. This message needs to get out there!