Is talking on a cell phone and driving really all that dangerous? Should talking on your cell phone be banned while a person is driving? What about the hands-free devices that still can allow people to talk on the phone while driving, does that still affect their ability to drive focused? Should talking on cell phones and driving become illegal such as drinking and driving? What type of punishment should it receive if it does become illegal and what should the punishment be? Do you really think that talking on a cell phone is really that much of a distraction? Any other comments would be greatly appreciated.Frankie Gaskill (9:00)
37 comments:
I think that talking on a cell phone is a pretty big problem, but I think with the handsfree devices, safety has improved quite a bit. However, I do feel like the big problem is when people text while driving. I read in the paper this past summer how somebody was texting while driving and hit a bicyclist and killed him. Even if it were illegal to do, i doubt anything would really change. Look at seatbelts. Click it or Ticket and yet people still drive without wearing their seatbelts.
Dustin Piercy (9:00)
I talk on my phone and drive, but I think it's really bad. Hell yes it should be illegal. They are talking about making it illegal to smoke in your car w/a kid (also bad) and I think that talking while driving poses a much bigger threat to the well being of children and all people. I think that ear buds are o.k. though, just like Chicago law. I think the punishment should be: a fine and go on record same as a driving violation, and if you get into an accident you should be prosecuted accordingly.
That's kind of iffy because i talk on my cell phone and drive, but i pay close attention to the road ahead of me. but i know people who can't do that, because i know they'll crash into something. i don't think it should be banned, i think they should have to have somekind of hands-free device so they could drive with both hands. i think it works because i clip my phone to the sun visor and talk through my speaker phone. So, in case i have to turn, i'll have both hands to steer. i don't think it should be illegal.
I don't care what anyone claims about being able to conentrate on driving and talking on a phone, you are concentrating on one or the other. Studies where people have to actively listen, think, and respond on a phone while driving show a huge decrease in their ability to navigate a course safely.
Should be illegal? I'm split on whether or not the risk of someone ploughing into me outweighs Americans' rights to freedom of choice on the matter.
If someone causes an accident and they were talking on a phone then they should serve somesort of punishment, but not as severe as a DUI. If they kill someone, possibly involuntary manslaughter.
Daniel Hooker (7:00)
I definitly agree that talking on the cell phone while driving is a problem, and I will admit that I do it from time to time. But my big issue is texting while driving, and I am all over the place. It's either texting or driving, I can't seem to do them at the same time. And most of the people that I see while driving that are on their phones are completely unaware of what is going on and, like me, are all over the place. But I think the handsfree devices should be used more often.
I think talking on cell phones, as well as using most other electronic devices for that matter, while driving is extremely dangerous. I think this practice should be considered a serious offense, punishable by a hefty fine at least. Unfortunately, I doubt much will result in the illegalization of cell phone usuage while operating a motor vehicle will help much. In my opinion, it will most likely continue to be a big problem, which is sad because one would think that this would be an easy problem to fix. However, I still think it should be illegal.
Tristan Cogswell
There is some serious dangers in driving while talking or texting. I think making it illegal, allthough not a bad idea, would not work. It wouldn't hurt to try but in the end it's up to police to enforce the law. They are most likely not going to mess with it very often. However, if an accident occured because of this, than at least police could then punish the person responsible.
There is some serious dangers in driving while talking or texting. I think making it illegal, allthough not a bad idea, would not work. It wouldn't hurt to try but in the end it's up to police to enforce the law. They are most likely not going to mess with it very often. However, if an accident occured because of this, than at least police could then punish the person responsible.
Friday, November 16, 2007 12:31:00 PM
Brett hall 12:00
I do believe that talking on the cell phone while driving is enough of a distraction that it should be banned unless using a wireless headset. Yes a wireless headset might be a small amount of distraction while driving, but no more than changing a Cd or singing and dancing to a song on the radio(sorry, bad example). I personally hate talking on my cellphone while driving, unless necessary.
Bobbi(9:00)
I would be lying if I said that I never talked on a cell phone while driving. Come to think of it, I do it quite a bit. But I know that it definitley is a bad habit. I understand why many states have cell phone bans. I really do not know if using a hands free device helps any. The act of being engaged in conversation is the distracting part, not holding the phone. I find it amazing that many people try to text message and drive. This is beyond lack of common sense; it is a reckless act. As far as punishments go, I think a fine should suffice. People are going to take phone calls while driving regardless of the law.
Scott Kimball (9:00)
I think cell phones have become a big problem with driving recently. Texting is taking over the driving world, and people are paying more attention to their cell phones rather than road. I do think that talking on the phone while driving is more safe than texting. Speakerphones and bluetooths have helped drivers pay more attention to the road while talking on the phone, but there are no devices to use while texting. I do think cell phones are important while driving in case of an accident or emergency. For those reasons, they shouldn't be illegal. It would nearly impossible to give out tickets to everyone who texts or talks while driving. If people would just pay more attention to the road and let their conversations wait I think this problem could easily be solved.
Chelse Lindenbaum (9:00)
Yes I do think that driving and talking on your cell phone is dangerous becauses you have to take a hand off the wheel to hold the phone to your hand. Yes, I think that talking on your cell phone while drving should be banned because it poses a huge danger to anyone who is riding in the car with you and to anyone and everyone around you. I read a story in the paper recently that a man on a bicycle had been killed by a girl who was downloading ringtones to her phone. The hands free devices for cell phones are a very good alternative to the traditional talking on the phone. It frees up that other hand and allows it to stay on the wheel. I think it still does affect their driving skills but definitly not as much as a regular cell phone. I don't think that talking on your cell phone should be as illegal as drinking and driving. Drinking and driving is a whole other category of breaking the law. Talking on your phone does distract you as much as drinking does. I think getting caught talking on your cell phone should be a fine. I don't think that you need to be arrested or anything like that. After you fine someone enough they will learn not to do it anymore.
Kirby Reifsteck (9:00)
I think that driving and talking on the phone is only dangerous if you arent paying attention to what ou are doing. Some people can not drive and talk at the same because thet get too wrapped up in the phone and dont pay attention to their driving. I dont think that talking on the phone should be banned because whether its banned or not, people are going to do it anyway. Even with an ear piece, people will still be distracted. Its not holding the phone that is the distraction, its the conversation that is the distraction. Talking on the phone is only as much of a distraction as you allow it to be. The radio could be a distraction, but they arent going to stop putting radios in cars...
Janyce Burks
Talking on your cell phone, or using your cell phone in any way should be illegal. The handsfree devices are helping out a lot with older people, but with teenagers who is honestly going to go out and buy one of these--we're too poor. I think that's who the problem is really about--teenagers. We text and talk on our cell phone more than what's necessary and when we're driving, we don't feel the need to put our phones down and not use them. I, myself, use my cell phone when I drive, but I'm a splendid driver so I don't really think about getting in a wreck or anything like that. And I think that's how every teen driver thinks--that noting is going to happen to me. So i think banning cell phone usage while driving should be illegal for sure. Because something has got to be done with changing our minds about phones.
Alyssa Surber (9:00)
I think that talking on a cell phone is distracting and dangerous while driving, but there can be many other distractions while driving also. I know that if I am talking on my cell phone while I am driving, I always try to be aware of what is going on. If the traffic gets heavier or something that needs my full attention, I am definately tuning out whoever is talking to me and I just agree as they keep talking. It depends on where I am also. If I am on the interstate I try not to talk on the phone because I am driving faster. I do think the blue tooth device is good because it frees up both of your hands so you can have two hands on the wheel. I do think it is a huge distraction, but what is the difference if you have a car load of people and they are all talking really loud or to you? I don't think it should be illegal because it would be hard to enforce. People could get away with it whenever they want if they had blue tooth, or they could set their phone in the cupholder on speakerphone and the cop would never know they are talking. It would be kind of pointless. I think teens who just get their license should really try not to talk on their phones while driving. THey usually aren't driving very far...maybe to school and back or whatever, but it can't be that important to become highly distracted as a new driver. I think the blue tooth is a great idea and more people should pick up on it. But making it illegal wouldn't work. There are somethings that just wouldn't change.
Hannah Dodd (9:00)
I believe that talking on the phone and driving are not that big of a problem. However texting and driving is a huge problem. When you text you sometimes need two hands how are you going to steer the wheel and send a message to you friend. The hands free devices for talking are a big improvement to safety. I think actually talking on the phone is not that big of a deal while texting is a big problem I would have more of a problem concentrating on the road if an individual was in the car with me.
Kristin Knowles
I think it is really dangerous to talk on your cell phone and text while you are driving. I think that most teenagers would say that if they have texting, they have done it while driving. I know many of my friends text all the time so they can text and look at the road the whole time, and they still think that's okay, it's not. I really do think that something needs to be done about the cell phone usage during driving. I know alot of people would say taht well if you can have someone else in the car and talk to them, then you sould be able to use your phone, because you are still talking while driving. I think there is a huge difference. I know that with speakerphones and such, it makes it a bit safer, but i still think it should be illegal. I think there should be a huge fine for talking on your cellphone while you are driving, because most of the people that are talking while driving are teenagers. If they dont have that much money, as most teenagers dont, they arent going to want to spend 500 dollars or more on a ticket for being on their phones.
Morgan MacFarlane (9:00)
Carrying on a conversation is no more distracting, for me, than listening to the radio or rolling down the window. The problem is HOLDING the cell phone. Heck, you could put the cell on speaker phone and set it on the dashboard or your lap or something and still carry on the same conversation, but you'll still have two hands on the wheel. Headsets are great.
Texting, I think, is the biggest problem. Yes, some people can text while not looking at the cell, but you're probably paying more attention to which keys your fingers are hitting rather than looking at which cars you're driving next to at 65mph. Texting while driving is just a dumb idea all around. Why not just call the person and put the phone on speakerphone??
Megan Mercier (9:00)
Yeah, talking on your cell phone is distracting while you drive, but not all the time. Sometimes it just depends on how deep the conversation is. For me talking on my cell isn't that big of a problem. Texting is the worst, I am usually all over the place while I text. I don't know if it should be considered illegal, but I think there definitely needs to be more awareness created about the danger of it. Well, an age for driving and talking on your cell might be a consideration. Especially, for those who just got their lisences and aren't too expericenced at driving yet. It just causes a distraction for them.
Elizabeth Kerns
I don't think that talking on the cell phone is dangerous if you aren't focused on what is going on. Just make sure you are more focused on your life than a conversion. I don't do it that much because my attention could get thrown off easily and I may end up in the ditch or something. If it does become illegal I think there shouldn't be no pushiment because people are going to do it regardless of what the law is. Its illegal to drink, but people still do it anyways. A hands free device might be better but could still get his/her attention thrown off. All it takes is a split second for someone to take their attention off of drining and that person could be in the hospital the next day.
Jaime Carpenter
I don;'t believe that talking on your cell phone is that big of a problem. I'm not going to lie, I do it all the time and will continue to do it. The problem occurs when people try to talk on their cell, drive and then do something else like look at themselves in the mirror. Also, texting while driving is very dangerous. This completely takes away all of your focus from the road. The hands-free devices are nice, but not necessary. Drivers just need to focusing on the road instead of the conversation and they'll be fine. I don't believe there should be a punishment for talking on your cell phone maybe other than a fine if they do make it illegal. Cell phones are not a distraction, people just don't know how to multi-task very well.
Ryan Lowry(7:00)
Using a cell phone while driving is dangerous but to me its only dangerous when one wants to text while driving. Texting is usually done by the younger age group who have just started driving and really do not have much experince at it and do not need any more distractions than what they got. Hand free devices are making things alittle safer behind the wheel and may and probably has. No it does not to me affect their ability to drive. No cell phones should not be illegal to have while driving. People will not obey that law we all talk on cell phones everyday. If you think about it we should not throw them in jail they are over crowed the way it is and we should put people who commit serious crimes there and really all you can do is slap them on the wrist so this law would be a bad idea.
Shawn harshbarger (7:00)
I think that talking on the phone without hands-free devices is dangerous. A simple task as dialing can lead to a wreck. Texting is just stupid. You shouldn't text wile you're driving. I don't think that it should be illegal to talk on phones while driving unless they're texting. I think that the punishment should be $25-$30. It's not as big as a speeding ticket, but it's not too insignificant to ignore. Talking on the phone can be distracting so I know why people might want to make it illegal, however, I doubt that people will take action.
Liz Doty
I think that if you ban talking on a cell phone you should also ban eating, getting dressed, and putting on make up while driving. No matter what you ban while driving, there are always going to be some kind of distraction and people who break the law. Drinking and driving has not really stopped anyone from doing it, it just makes those people who do it take the country routs.
If you drive reckless or you hit someone, each case should be treated differently depending on what happend for you to get into that situation.
Michelle
i believe talkin on the cell phone while driving can be pretty bad, i do it...even though i know i shouldnt..it destracts the driver from driving, it could cause accidents, and death and no one wants thats...but of course we are all too worried about missing a phone call.
You should never talk on your cell phone while driving. It is always a distraction when you are talking to someone because it is really hard to concentrate on the road. Its just like messing with the radio. What if you hit someone, your not just hurting yourself you could end up killing them. I believe that anyway that you could distract yourself when driving should be illegal. Because you should not put others at risk because of your actions.
Justin Henrichs (9:00)f
I think that talking on a cell phone should not be banned. Even when im not doing anything while driving i dont find myself holding the wheel with more than one hand. As long as people are smart about when they talk on the phone. The thing i could understand being banned would be texting while driving. Ill admit i do it all the time but im smart about when i do it. If im driving through traffic the the text can wait. If im driving down the highway with nobody around then i dont see that to be a problem. I stillf find myself drifting off the road every once in a while when texting. In the questions you compair talking on the cell phone to drinking and driving, Your not allowed to drink and drive because it messes you up and ur vision gets worse along with your reaction time. Talking on the phone is nothing like drinking and driving. Banning the use of a cell phone while driving should be completely legal.
Jimmy Gourdier (12:00 Class)
Talking on a cell phone while driving is not that dangerous. The only difference between talking on the phone and talking to a passenger is that you are holding a phone, and most people can hold a steering wheel with one hand. Talking on a cell phone while driving should not be banned. I just don't agree with it; people can get distracted from many things, are they going to ban all those too? Talking and driving should be fine; people should be smart enough to pay attention to the road and drive at the same time.
Zach Burnett
I've noticed that if I've ever come close to an accident with another car it's because they were on thier cell phone. I think people don't know how to handle talking on a phone driving at the same time. I wish people would at least learn how to drive.
--Jill Reinhart (noon)
Holding a conversation on a cell phone while driving is no more distracting or different than talking to a passenger, eating fast food, or fumbling for a CD. Drivers were involved in accidents due to not paying attention while driving way before cell phones were invented and, no U.S. studies have proven that cell phones cause accidents. A driver should be able to chose whether or not to use a cell phone while driving. Attempts to prohibit this infringes on the personal rights of the people who are driving. Although dialing numbers and receiving texts could be argued against.
Miranda Wilson (9:00)
It really is dangerous to talk on a cell phone and drive. Too many people are distracted while driving because they are more concerned with the phone than they are with the road. I see it all too often, swerving vehicles on the road operated by people with phones attached to their ear. I do think that driving while on the phone should be banned. How hard is it to wait ten minutes to answer or make a phone call? I have never used a hands free device but it does seem like a more sensible solution than trying to maneuver tiny buttons with one hand and steer with the other. Drinking and driving is a much more serious offense compared to dialing and driving. I’m not sure what kind of punishment there should be because we are all guilty of getting distracted while driving, whether it is due to changing the radio station or trying to soothe crying children. I just think that people need to be more responsible and realize that they are not the only ones on the road.
Jennifer Wilson
Fro my experiences, talking on your cell phone is very dangerous. I was almost in an accident because some lady was talking on her cell phone and wasn't paying attention to what she was doing. The hands free devise are a good idea because it keeps your hands focuse and it able you to keep your eyes on the road. I think ther should be a law passed where you can't talk on a cell phone unless its a handless device. And if caught driving and holding a cellphone talking it should be an automatic five hundred dollar fine. When your drivingyou need that full concentraiton and frnakly alot of people can't talk holding a cellphone and driving at the same time, its a recipe for disaster.
Demaris winston(7:00)
Well, something that has definitely improved the use of cellphones while driving is hands-free devices. Something that has definitely made the use of cellphones while driving a LOT worse, is text messaging. I think that currently a lot of people are text messaging while driving rather than talking on the cellphone. Which is a huge problem because the people that are text messaging are teens, and those are the ones who are most prone to getting into accidents. I have a friend who was driving from Lincolnwood to CHicago and the second he crossed the border into Chicago, he was immediately stopped by a police officer for talking on the phone. In Chicago talking on your cellphone is taken extremely seriously. They even catch things like talking on cellphones through the cameras at stoplights. I don't understand why people can't just pull over and use their cellphones.
Brittney (7:00)
talking on your cell phone should not be banned while driving. However, texting should be. The hand free devices are great because it allows you to focus even more on the road and you do not have to hold something in your hand. Talking on your cell while driving should not be illegal. That would be crazy! I do not think that talking on a cell phone is much of a distraction at all.
Haley Stewart (7:00)
I talk on my phone and drive at the same time all the time. I feel like I have good control of everything while doing so however, some people do not. I think hands free devices would be acceptable but overall talking on your cell phone without them should be illegal.
Brianna Bugbee
Cell phones and cars do not really go together. People get way to side-tracked when there talking on the phone to be able to focus their attention on the road. Most people are not that good of drivers to begin with so when they are using their cell phone at the same time they are naturally going to be worse. Using your phone can sometimes be inevitable but people just need to make good decisions with them like not picking up your phone until your stopped at a red light. Don't be looking around for your ringing phone when your going 90 mph down the highway. People just need to slow down and be a little more cautious when driving and talking.
Blake Eakes Noon
I think driving and talking on a cell phone is the biggest way to get into an accident. Not only talking but textin as well. One second and you could end your life trying to answe, find the phone or text. I think it should not be illegal, and if caught there should be some kind of punishment. When driving your main focus should be on the road, not a cell phone.
Nicole Osby
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