Cell phones and driving: Legal or illegal?
By Dolphster
@Dolphster (15)
United States
September 28, 2008 5:48pm CST
How many times have you been driving hen you see someone pull some boneheaded maneuver, sometimes nearly causing an accident, only to notice that person's talking on a cell phone while driving?
Just the other day I was out driving on a busy multilane highway not far from where I live in South Carolina which is a state, that like many, has no laws against cell phone use while driving. As I was stopped at a red light a car stopped along side of me in the left turning lane. I don't know why, maybe because I'm a curious person, but I looked at the driver of the car. It was a younger woman, probably early twenties or late teens, and she was chatting and laughing away on her cell phone.
I was about to look away, mind my own business and wait for the light to turn green when this young woman did something that completely blew my mind. She simply turned left through the red light. Not only that, but as far as I could tell she failed to even look left or right for any possible oncoming traffic before she did.
Luckily for this young woman she happened to go during a nice sized gap in the traffic that was zipping by at 55 mph. If not she could've easily gotten hereself or someone else seriously hurt or even killed. And why did she break the law and take this risk? Not because she was in a hurry that was a matter of life and death, but because (I feel) she was so wrapped up in her conversation on her cell phone that she didn't even realize what she was doing.
As I already mentioned a vast majority of states have no laws prohibiting the use of cell phones while operating a motor vehicle. I for one feel that there should be laws against this, but I'd never truly given it all that much thought until what I saw the other day regarding this young woman. Yes, I realize a passenger(s) in a car can at times be very distracting too, but a passenger has the luxury of being another set of eyes for the person driving. They also can pipe down during times when the driver may need to focus more on the road then on a conversation.
Anyway, I'm curious to hear how others feel about this topic, especially those who love their cell phone and chatting on it. Has anyone else seen anything as crazy as I did? Should they be allowed as long as they're "hands free" or should they be illegal all together?
3 people like this
20 responses
@thrwbckjay67 (2870)
• United States
29 Sep 08
Well, here in California it is now illegal to hold the handset to your ears and talk on the phone while you are driving; it's a bit of a bandaid on a bullet wound, because people can still use hands-free sets and some people are still distracted by using those things. But I think it helps around here a lot. The CHP and other cops are giving out more tickets, but overall I think the early returns have stated that accidents that involved people using cell phones have been down since the rule came into effect in July.
I have personally come across a number of terrible drivers who have been on their phones talking on the cell phone or playing with it and not paying attention. I am glad they put the rule here; at least it helps up keep a little more control around here in terms of people talking on phones while driving.
1 person likes this
@Foxxee (3651)
• United States
29 Sep 08
Of course using a cell phone in any kind of way should be illegal while driving.
It's not safe && the driver isn't paying 100% full attention && when driving, your suppose to have all eyes && ears on the road, how can you do that when your on a cell phone?
@Galena (9110)
•
29 Sep 08
fortunately, in the UK it is illegal to drive using a mobile phone.
it's rather shocking that there are countries where this isn't the case.
I don't see a problem with people using a hands free. it can't be any more distracting that listening to the radio or talking to a passenger.
@AndrewFreyne (6281)
• United Kingdom
29 Sep 08
Definitely illegal! I'm referring to this as a cyclist though! I have been involved in very close collisions with drivers in the past and this was due to them concentrating to much on their conversation! The worst times are when a driver is about to turn and he/she just doesn't take an extra look to see if anything is coming. I think that the hands free option is a good start and all drivers should be forced to adopt this method. I have been lucky so far in that I have not been involved in a traffic accident, others have not been so lucky though. I am more alert now when cycling. I do look out for drivers with mobiles and tend to avoid them like the plague! Andrew
@minwei86 (33)
• Singapore
29 Sep 08
Cellphone and driving i think is alright for me. There are some countries that are particularly cautious. In Singapore, using of cellphone and driving is illegal. Either way, using of cellphone may more or less affect your concentration in driving. I was wondering if the call is urgent and happen that you get caught for using cellphone when driving...what should u do..
@MOMMASAM (1004)
• United States
29 Sep 08
i happen to be one of those people who think this should be
banned. it should be illegal.
if you can't communicate on something that is hand's free, then
you shouldn't be talking.
i have seen some incredibly stupid moves by people on their cell
phones.
wasn't their a terrible train wreck recently where the conductor
was texting??
@rhyannefranz (770)
• Philippines
29 Sep 08
I don't have a car and I don't know how to drive. But I am a concern pedestrian and sometimes this irresponsible people neglect the fact that they can cause accident by using cellphones while driving. There should be a law against it here in the Philippines and even in other countries because these acts of negligence can cause problems not just to themselves but to others too. I agree to the handsfree cellphone especially when it's an emergency call but it too can coz accidents because the attention of the driver is not 100% on the road. It should be focussed on the road and not to the person on the other line.
@magna86 (1786)
• India
29 Sep 08
ya its really dangerous to use your cell phone while driving. in my area or the lace where i live in.. there are strict rules.. no one should talk o the cell phone while driving..and guess what? my dad had to pay the charges for that one day.. and you know who did the call??? it was me.!! hehehe lol
@bratin (104)
• India
29 Sep 08
Cell phones and driving is very illegal.when you concentrate on your mobile you can no drive well.It may cause accidents and several damages.so for you and other people's safety you should not drive when you using your cellphone.
Many accidents are take place for this each day.so everybody should be careful of it.
@dpjddh03556462006 (348)
• China
29 Sep 08
oh my mylot friend ,this condition is being in our country ,not only in your country ,i come from China and i am still a collage student now.i of course have no my own car ,i often by public bus to go to school or go my home .i ever see many drivers calling phone when driving ,what is worse ,he often call lots of time even if there are many people in his car .our country also have no laws against cell phone when driving ,but i think the behavior is illegal and goverment ought to make some laws to against them .
@amlegend (945)
• Pakistan
29 Sep 08
i have never met an accident while using phone but unless it is switched off your attention won't get off it and you will be tempted to answer a call or type a text and that can surely be dangerous and can lead to a accident.
so, i believe no law can Make us do this but we have to do this for our own good
@chowdhri (37)
•
29 Sep 08
ya it's illegal one while driving do'nt use ur cellphones it makes dangerous to u while driving because it may cause anything for life for just talking to other within minutes so don't use cell phones or mikes during i'would hearing loud music while driving will makes very dangerous to our lifes so be careful while driving be safety from all time
@deltax (287)
• Philippines
29 Sep 08
In some countries and territories, it is legal and if it's not, law enforcement don't care at all. In my opinion, it should be strictly enforced. Even if we say, that we have a hands-free, talking on our cell still disrupts our focus on driving. It's just too bad that some drivers think they can have a conversation and still drive 100% focused. And when they realize, it's too late. Many road accidents happen for that reason nowadays. Tsk!
@thaMARKER (2503)
• Philippines
29 Sep 08
Sometimes I find people driving while talking to someone on their cellphone and it causes traffic because they tend to slow down. Why can't they just stop for a while and talk. Sometime would really text while the traffic is that heavy and most people I notice doing that are those old ones and some teenagers. It sometime pisses me off.
@powerbrokenape (399)
• United States
29 Sep 08
I think using a cell phone while driving is a definite danger, and like you said, not all states have passed laws to ban it. My state just passed a law to ban them while driving last July, although I think that people are distracted by the sound in general, and I think that even stereos impair a person's ability to drive. The question is would want the luxery of using a cell phone and the enjoyment of listening to the radio in your car over the increase in how many traffic fatalities there will be.
@Beruang (1309)
• Malaysia
29 Sep 08
Here is Malaysia the use of cell phone without a hands free kit is illegal. Recently, texting has also been added to that. This is to make sure that drivers are giving full attention to driving and not get distracted while holding the phone or while sending text messages.
Although the use of hands free kit is allowed, it is not really recommended since it still can distract our focus on driving and on the road.
As for me, I would just let the phone ring even though that I do have a hands free kit with me. I would only call the caller back once I have stopped driving. If the call is really urgent or from someone that I have been expecting the call from, I would just use the hands free kit to ask the caller to hold on while I look for a safe place to stop my car and talk.
There are also people who simply stopped anywhere when they wanted to answer a phone call and that can also be dangerous to everybody.
Cell phone is a great tool but if we are not using it responsibly, we or others could get killed.
Cheers!
@ralphido (842)
• India
29 Sep 08
hey .. i do feel the urge sometimes to pick the phone will i am driving..but i refrain from doing so because of my previous experience with a cop.. i was fined dearly for taking my mobile while driving a bike.. so now i am careful... usually i stop my car or bike and get over the call ....
@chiaeugene (2225)
• China
29 Sep 08
in singapore, it is illegal to hold the handset while driving. it is a must to use hand-free kits if one need to talk while driving and the handfree must be put on before driving. the law over here is very strict on this as there were many accidents involving drivers on the phone. however, in china where i cam currently residing now, the situation is very rampant and no one seems to bother. even the police were seen driving and using the phone at the same time. to me, as long as the driving is using a handfree kit, i think it would be alright for him to talk on the phone. apart from that, i do not think it is right for anyone to use the phone while driving as they are posing danger not only to others but also themselves as their concentration is diverted and not focus.
