by Paula Wright

Created on: April 24, 2009   Last Updated: April 25, 2009

I have been on the road and witnessed 4 people driving while talking on the cell phone. One got back on the road without looking that had been on the side of the road with other cars waiting to pick up the kids from a school. She almost ran into my mom that was driving straight (this woman had been on the side where the ditch is that goes into the school. We saw the woman finally enter the parking lot and drive alongside the line of cars illegally and cut in front of them to wait. On another day, another person ran a red light that had been red for a while and that person was also on the phone.

It proves that 'some' people cannot pay equal attention to the road or their driving while on the phone. If cell phone use is not banned while in motion behind the wheel of a vehicle, then I propose that the law state, you can use a cell phone while driving as long a you are careful. If you are involved in an accident, to make it fair, regardless of fault, you will be forced to pay a heavy fine and, depending on the severity of any injuries resulting from the crash, be given the same penalty as drunk drivers get. It will force people to be more responsible while talking on the phone and driving at the same time. This will, of course, have to be proved who was on the phone at the time which can be hard to prove unless you have 'credible' witnesses and such.

It is known that medical personnel and other emergency workers have to use the phone when behind the wheel. But, like I said, either outlaw all cell phone use while driving, except for emergency personnel, or impose strict penalties on accidents where person/s where on the phone before/during the accident. Anyone who thinks differently about not imposing some sort of legislation regarding accidents due to cell phone use, is probably going to be one of those on the road with a phone in their hand and going to end up in a crash or killing someone. And those are the people who can't drive either with or without a cell phone b/c they refuse to see the importance of this issue, although a 'reasonable' standard can be set. Use the phone and drive carefully with no accidents or pay up when involved in one. Only responsible people who know how to obey the rules of the road and drive safely with a clean driving record have business using the cell phone and only staying on the phone for a short time. With some form of legislation, less fatalities and crashes will result from cell phone use while behind the wheel of a moving vehicle.

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