Yes

by Patrick Sills

Created on: October 12, 2010

Regardless of any “studies” that allegedly “prove” that talking on a cell phone while driving is just as dangerous as driving while intoxicated, this is an absolutely preposterous notion. I will argue the following point until the day I die if needed: Talking on a cell phone while driving is no worse than holding a conversation with another passenger in the car or listening to the radio, an Ipod, or a favorite CD!

To be fair, I will agree that texting while driving is foolish. In fact, texing in any setting has never made sense to me. If you have a telephone in your hands, why not simply call people and speak to them? If the person is unavailable, leave a vocal message. Why spend twice as much; if not more time typing a message onto a keyboard, and a tiny one at that?

Likewise, punching in someone’s phone number or even scrolling down a list of contacts until you locate the person you wish to talk for speed-dialing is foolish while actually driving in traffic. This task should be done while either parked or stopped at a red light; provided you arrive at the particular intersection just as the light has changed. Come on. You know if that light has just turned red, you’ll be sitting there; unmoving for at least 30 seconds and probably longer! This allows plenty of time to call someone, even if you live in an area where all 10 digits of someone’s number have to be keyed in.

Yes, driving is a special skill that requires attentiveness, but at the same time, if a person is incapable of holding a conversation with someone else or closely following commentary on a talk radio program while driving at the same time, then he or she shouldn’t be granted a license in the first place. We are not a species of one-dimensional beings.

If a truck driver hauling several tons of goods can talk on a Citizen’s Band radio while roaring down the Interstate or an airline captain can tell passengers to look out the window to see the Rocky Mountains below while he or she is piloting a vessel with 150 passengers going 600 miles an hour 35,000 feet above the ground, then surely the Average Joe or Josephine should be able to manage the simple task of talking on a cell phone!

For every person genuinely distracted as a result of using a cell phone while behind the wheel and thus causing an accident, it is reasonable to assume that there will be 10,000 others competent enough to perform such a task without incident. As a society, we seriously need to lighten up in regard to the hysteria surrounding cell-phone use while driving.

Accidents occur when we take our eyes off the road; regardless of the reason. We could be salting our French fries or gawking at some hot-looking jogger in tight pants. The kids could be quarreling in the back seat as we turn around momentarily to reprimand them. Singling out an activity that has become so routine and commonplace as talking on cell phones as a primary cause of traffic accidents is simply unwarranted.

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