The National
Transportation Safety Board recommends that states pass laws banning the use of
cell phones while driving. All cell phones, including hands-free use. The
NTSB's chair, Deborah Hersman, said, "It's about cognitive distraction.
It's about not being engaged at the task at hand. Lives are being lost in the
blink of an eye. You can't take it back, you can't have a do-over, and you
can't rewind."
Another NTSB board member said, "This is becoming the new DUI. It's becoming an epidemic." Research has shown that people talking on cell phones drive as dangerously as people who have been drinking: http://bit.ly/uYp2Ng .
In 2010, over 3,000 Americans died because of distracted driving. Over 1.9 million car crashes were caused by people who were driving and using their phones: http://bit.ly/vHzvoo .
Should the District of Columbia ban the use of cell phones while driving? Different jurisdictions have different restrictions on cell phone use, but no state has a total ban on cell phone use while driving. Wednesday's New York Times article about the NTSB's recommendation, http://nyti.ms/rqi59K , points out that completely banning cell phones would be a difficult job. But would it be impossible? Should DC ban cell phones use while driving, before other jurisdictions do?
Another NTSB board member said, "This is becoming the new DUI. It's becoming an epidemic." Research has shown that people talking on cell phones drive as dangerously as people who have been drinking: http://bit.ly/uYp2Ng .
In 2010, over 3,000 Americans died because of distracted driving. Over 1.9 million car crashes were caused by people who were driving and using their phones: http://bit.ly/vHzvoo .
Should the District of Columbia ban the use of cell phones while driving? Different jurisdictions have different restrictions on cell phone use, but no state has a total ban on cell phone use while driving. Wednesday's New York Times article about the NTSB's recommendation, http://nyti.ms/rqi59K , points out that completely banning cell phones would be a difficult job. But would it be impossible? Should DC ban cell phones use while driving, before other jurisdictions do?
The Cleveland Park Listserv, www.cleveland-park.com, is running a poll on this subject. Subscribed list members can vote in the poll. You do not have to live in Cleveland Park to be a member of the listserv. The Cleveland Park Listserv FAQ page at http://bit.ly/cplistfaq has information about joining the listserv, accessing the web features of the listserv (such as the polling page, or the archived messages) and many tips about how the Cleveland Park Listserv works.
Bill Adler and Peggy Robin
Cleveland Park Listserv Publishers
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