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Yes, indeed, here in Britain we are once again leading the World by banning the use of hand held mobile phones whilst driving, driving defined as being in the driving seat with the engine running.

It is legal to talk on the phone with an ear piece, such as a bluetooth headset, but holding the phone itself will earn you a fine and endorsements on your driving licence.

The law has been in force for several months now but you will still see plenty of people flaunting it. Many people think that it is OK, but how do you change gear, turn the wheel and hold a phone at the same time? (Most cars, vans and trucks in the UK are manual transmission)

Van drivers believe that police cars can't see them using their phones, but a simple glance into their door mirror usually reveals them.

Some people believe that simply holding a conversation is a distraction, whether it be with a passenger or on a phone. Having driven extensively for 30 years and covered many hundreds of thousands of miles I have never felt distracted by talking to a passenger, however, things like changing CDs, looking up a phone number or making written notes whilst driving can cause some lively moments.

The evidence from the UK is that Yes, the USA should ban the use of hand held phones. even allowing for the lower population density of the USA, the lower speed limits, the wider roads and the lower volumes of traffic , it does not take long for a distraction to turn into a disaster.

Besides, it must be doubly hard in the USA, where you all drive on the wrong side of the road and all the cars are built the wrong way round!

Learn more about this author, Jeff Dray.
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