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© Copyright 2002, Jim Loy
It is common knowledge that talking on cell phones while driving causes accidents. It may not be true, but it is common knowledge.
I see a lot of drivers talking on the phone. Mostly, they seem to do well. But I can imagine accidents being caused in this way. In fact, I did see a pedestrian stopped in a crosswalk, blocking traffic, talking on the phone. With just a little luck (bad), that idiot would be dead now. I guess there have been reports of accidents and deaths caused by cell phones, mostly losing control while reaching for the ringing phone, or putting it back. If you think about it, you shouldn't have to reach for a phone (or reach to adjust the radio, or reach for that can of pop, for that matter) while driving. It is a death trap. And some driving skills take two hands, like signaling, which nobody does anyway. I suspect that cell phones do cause some traffic deaths. Probably, no one knows how many.
A major cause of death on the highway is head-on collisions. Certainly, some of these are caused by passing when we should not. But many more are caused by simply drifting into the other lane, for whatever reason, asleep at the wheel, cell phone, arguing kids, reading that map, whatever.
Death on the highway is a major American national disgrace. We should take driving very seriously. Please, don't kill, and don't die.
I see that research shows that cell phones do cause accidents, more and more as the phones become more common. They can figure out if an accident happens while the driver is on the phone. But there are people who say that the benefits of cell phones make up for the relatively small death toll. These benefits are what? Talking to your boyfriend or girlfriend? No, I see no benefit to jabbering on the phone while driving. Clearly, important phone calls must be made on occasion. In particular, if someone is dying at the side of a road, a cell phone can save a life. Or if you need a tow, or need gasoline, a cell phone is great. But that phone should have remained turned off until you needed it, in my opinion.
I received this email:
Hello I just recently found your web page by doing a search of Hang Up and Drive. You see on September 21, 2003 by 29 year old husband was setting on his motorcycle at a intersection waiting to make a left turn to turn east when a man heading north was talking on his cell phone and ran the red light and was struck by a mustang heading west. The mustang pushed the mans suburban into my husband killing him instantly. I am have been trying to find anyone out there who is for passing a cell phone law so I can help save any other lives. Thank you for your story, and I totally agree with you. Thank you for listing.
Sincerely, Carry Couch (widow)