* Question: How many times have you seen a person turning a corner, head crooked to the side with one hand gripping the phone and the other holding the steering wheel? * It's bad enough that we have to share the road with people who have questionable driving skills; but to actually be in the lane next with someone who is clearly so distracted by their phone conversation;
Cell phone use should be banned while driving * I am a firm believer that they should be banned while driving. Statistics don't lie; accidents occur more often in incidences involving cell phones. In fact, motorists are four times more likely to get into a serious accident when using one of these devises. I mean let's face it; we only have two hands and one brain. It takes all of these things to actually drive properly and safely. Multitasking just doesn't cut it behind the wheel. * I agree, cell phones are a hi-tech wonder; and are a key instrument in saving lives in emergencies. But not everyone uses them wisely, especially when it involves drivers and cell phones. * Last year I had a real close call. A motorist sped past a stop sign and nearly rammed right into my car. I could literally see the horror on his face as he slammed on the brakes, just missing me by mere inches. Why did this happen BC he was too busy on his cell phone to pay any attention to a simple thing like a road sign. * . Six states -- California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Utah and Washington -- and the District of Columbia ban the use of hand-held cell phones behind the wheel, * Text messaging: Anyone with half a brain could see that it is highly unlikely for someone to text and pay attention to the road all at the same time. * The theory that hands free devices are safe has been put to the test with surprising results. Many studies have shown that using hand-held cell phones while driving can constitute a hazardous distraction. However, the theory that hands-free sets are safer has been challenged by the findings of several studies. A study from researchers at the University of Utah, published in the summer 2006 issue of Human Factors, concludes that talking on a cell phone while driving is as dangerous as driving drunk, even if the phone is a hands-free model. An earlier study by researchers at the university found that motorists who talked on hands-free cell phones were 18 percent slower in braking and took 17 percent longer to regain the speed they lost when they braked." * It is true that in most situations many drivers will have enough response time in order to divert an accident. But there are times when we are faced with multiple conditions, this is when a distracted driver often runs into trouble. Drivers who use cell phones may not cause all the accidents, but they often spot problems far too late to avoid collision. That is why all drivers need to use a little common sense behind the steering wheel. If that means to turn off the phone while driving or to pull over into a safe location before calling someone, so be it.