Cell Phone Ban Urged For Teen Drivers

22 Sep, 2005 at 8:20pm ET Article published in Tech

Banning teens from using cell phones and other wireless devices while learning to drive should be a national auto safety priority, according to U.S. transportation safety officials.

“Learning to drive and being distracted is a recipe for disaster,” Mark Rosenker, the board’s acting chairman, said Tuesday at a hearing on the new safety priorities.

“We must do everything we can to reduce these needless deaths and we strongly believe that banning wireless communications devices for teenagers learning to drive will help significantly,” Rosenker said.

Submitted by: Trogan_1000

Source: Zdnet

Comments

22 Sep 2005 ~ 11:50pm Nosferatu hum, i'll be the first one to say it: duh.
22 Sep 2005 ~ 11:51pm MountainDew Bah if they do a ban for teens they should do a ban for everyone. ive seen plenty of drivers of all ages slip up on the road because of a phone call. oh and while theyre at it, ban makeup too!!!
23 Sep 2005 ~ 1:11am djstubbs I wouldn't mind it and I'm a "new driver".

It would be a good thing, I'm commonly distracted by my cell phone.

There are already local bans, but they aren't enforced, but honestly most of the time police have better things to do then pull someone over for a cell phone, let alone ticket them.
23 Sep 2005 ~ 1:17am Linc If my kids use their cell phone behind the wheel during their first couple months of driving, they won't have keys very long.
23 Sep 2005 ~ 3:12am Private_Snoball I'm a teenager, I don't talk while I drive because I'm not an idiot. Who's going to enforce this law anyway? Or will it get as much attention to seat belt laws? Stop adding more laws and start enforcing current ones. The same people who do make up or talk on the phone are the same people who won't wear a seat belt so it doens't matter either way, they shouldn't have a license period.
23 Sep 2005 ~ 9:49pm djstubbs

Private_Snoball wrote:

I'm a teenager, I don't talk while I drive because I'm not an idiot. Who's going to enforce this law anyway? Or will it get as much attention to seat belt laws? Stop adding more laws and start enforcing current ones. The same people who do make up or talk on the phone are the same people who won't wear a seat belt so it doens't matter either way, they shouldn't have a license period.

I disagree completely.

Wearing a seat belt is something that I'd say 95% of all people do consistently, for drivers I'd up that percentage to almost 100%.

As far as cell phones are concerned, there are laws against them now, and enough tickets / points against you will get your license revoked.
23 Sep 2005 ~ 11:27pm Nosferatu Better yet, the minimum driving age to even get your permit should be 18.
23 Sep 2005 ~ 11:37pm djstubbs

Nosferatu wrote:

Better yet, the minimum driving age to even get your permit should be 18.

Delaying that would create worse drivers on the road, and you'd find more kids driving before they could get that.

That's a horrible idea...
24 Sep 2005 ~ 10:13am airbornflght Ok..this is where the wtf are you thinking you dumb**** comes out in me. Probably cause i have a lot of anarchist blood running through me. I dont like people telling me what i can and cant do.

Thats why i live in oklahoma. We have laws and statutes that prohibit making a law about restricting cell phone use behind the wheel. Cell phones are only distracting if you let them be. If the traffic is really heavy and you need to pay attention. Tell the person on the other end that and call them back latter. but if your not an idiot and can handle two things at once (driving and talking to a person in your car) then you can talk on the cellphone. because thats all talking on the cellphone is.

You just have one less hand, but thats not a problem for me, cause i drive one handed anyway. Guess thats cause ive been driving since ive been 12 (farm trucks and tractors).

and what would raising the minimum driving age do. except create more problems. More teenagers would break the law by driveing underage without a drivers liscense and the actuall know how of how to drive.

You all need to seriously think about what you write before you write. I can see no cell phone use for new drivers. but I think that is the parents decision. The PARENTS need to sit in on their kids and see what there experience level is and how well they handle pressure on the road. maybe even tell them to make a call while there isnt much traffic and see what they do. If they are preoccupied with the cell phone call. then hell no..they should have that phone locked up from them. but if they put driveing first and the conversation second, then I dont see what the problem is.

and let me say this. If there is a ban. adults need it more than some teens. I have seen a lot of men and WOMEN be talking on the cellphone and either wreck or come damn near close to it. Some adults think just cause they have been driving longer than us, they are immune to being idiots behind the wheel. This is completely and utterly false. I think some adults need it more than kids. but i say F that. Just let us be. Think darwins theory. Survival of the fittest. not survival of the strongest. but more survival of the smartest and most adapted. Those not fit to reproduce will be weeded out either through dying being an idiot or never have kids and die single.