Hand-held cellphones to be banned while driving

[bikemike]

I agree with Usarka - it's the conversation that's the problem. And in particular the remote conversation, which so far as I remember from an aviation research statistic some time back takes up to 40% or 60% of your cognitive power at the time. Sorry, can't recall or find it. Anyway, makes sense to me: the problem is one of relocation and empathy, you always empathise with the fellow caller wherever they are, when they are not in your car your mind is not in the car or on the road ahead, it's wherever the caller is.

Therefore, all telephone calls should be banned whilst on the move.

Can't radio triangulation catch this?

Also, I wouldn't be surprised if the number of accidents caused by phone use is higher than reported and claimed so far.

[sefer]

As someone already mentioned:

In NZ we have a huge number of people who only use their phones to txt people due to the high cost of calls. Txting doesn't require you to lift you phone to your head, in fact most frequent txters will be able to write a message without looking, but will have to look down to read anything if they are trying to not reveal their phone to the passing plods. So they're now fully taking their eyes off the road (where they probably held their phone up to eye level in the past).

Personally I think that would be hugely more distracting and likely to cause accidents than someone with their phone to their ear.

(not that I don't think it's a good idea, but you have to look at the use of phones here compared to most other countries)

[Banesto John]

Also, I wouldn't be surprised if the number of accidents caused by phone use is higher than reported and claimed so far.

The cops who attend crashes are the ones who write the causal report, called a TCR. The MInister yesterday said that before 2002 there were no records of cellphone related crashes. That's coz the cops didn't even ask people about things like that, so wouldn't report on it.

Can you imagine how many people have a crash and then admit they are on a cellphone? How can a cop who attends a crash tell if a phone was in use, when people in crashes have no obligation to even admit to owning a phone, let alone use one.

So, it's a reporting issue, and I expect that it is grossly under reported. Like, who is going to crash while texting then admit to texting?

And like, will cops soon have on the spot search warrants to demand phone use records, so we can get better stats? Tripe. We;ll just keep getting the skewed figures the pollies can use to excuse inaction.

Wow, getting a sore back from climbing on and off the soap box.

[Swoop]

...in fact most frequent txters will be able to write a message without looking

They are rather clever!

I have to put my phone on the steering wheel and then stab at the letters.
It is a slow process, but with each button press, some bastard is honking their horn in my vicinity. When I have finished the TXT message, the road ahead of me is totally clear.
Weird really. I wonder why.

[Dave Lobster]

So, it's a reporting issue, and I expect that it is grossly under reported. Like, who is going to crash while texting then admit to texting?

And like, will cops soon have on the spot search warrants to demand phone use records, so we can get better stats? Tripe. We;ll just keep getting the skewed figures the pollies can use to excuse inaction.

So, it's like, totally bogus, you know? Kind of..

[Banesto John]

So, it's like, totally bogus, you know? Kind of..

Like, wow, toadally awesum dude.

[FJRider]

I agree too but somehow I doubt it will be an easy law to enforce, I can still see people doing it all the time whether there is a law against it or not...

often the laws we ignore, are the one's we find "inconvenient" at the time.

[Big Dave]

About time.
It's heavily enforced in Sydney - and the enforcement works.

[Jiminy]

Both studies found that hands-free devices were not considerably safer.

Mmmmmh, wondering what the impact on texting will be, though. You can hardly text with a hands-free kit, and sure texting while driving is not anywhere safe.

We'll never improve the standard of driving as long as we persist with this "don't think, just follow the rules" thing...

A few rules might help a few think . Especially, it's not a big constraint on people, really.

[FJRider]

We'll never improve the standard of driving as long as we persist with this "don't think, just follow the rules" thing...

Too many don't advance PAST the "DON'T THINK" phase...