Federal urges ban on cell phone use while driving

Federal urges ban on cell phone use while driving (Alberta Times) Do you or your family have the habit of using cell phones while driving? The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board NTSB...

(Alberta Times)

Do you or your family have the habit of using cell phones while driving? After completing a series of investigations, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board NTSB recommended on Tuesday that all states and territories legislate to ban the use of cell phones while driving, becoming the first to call for an outright ban on the use of cell phones while driving. of federal agencies. According to official estimates, 3,092 road fatalities in the United States last year were caused by distracted driving, in part due to cell phone use. The independent NTSB does not have the legislative power of Congress or the regulatory power of the White House, but as an advocate of federal security across the United States, their recommendations carry weight in both chambers of government. Its recommendations also cover the political question of whether Congress and the administration should heed the lobbying of powerful cell phone companies and allow Americans to become addicted to cell phones or other electronic communications. The NTSB's call Tuesday follows a 2010 traffic accident in Missouri. The perpetrator was a 19-year-old truck driver who sent 11 text messages in the 11 minutes before the accident, causing a series of car accidents. The accident affected a trailer truck and a school bus, killing two people and injuring 38 others. According to the Washington Post, 35 states and districts currently prohibit texting while driving, and 9 states and districts require drivers to use hands-free devices. In fact, some recent authoritative studies have concluded that using hands-free devices does not make drivers less distracted if the mobile phone earphones are placed against the ears. There are no regulations prohibiting text messaging and phone use while driving in Arizona, but various online forums and media have been hotly discussing this matter recently. It seems that banning mobile phones while driving is imperative.