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While society focuses on the debate over whether or not to ban cell phone while driving, the focus remains on a symptom rather than the root cause. When society is ready to get serious about driving safety, the focus will be on banning bad drivers. Until then we are simply shifting responsibility from where it should be originating.

There is no doubt cell phones have been instruments of distraction causing accidents, even deaths. Cell phones have also saved lives where drivers have used them in situations where stopping would have been unsafe or unwise. Like most inanimate objects, it is just that, effectively unable to do anything except what we allow it to do.

Banning a cell phone while driving will not fix the safety issue. No one likes being behind someone who is driving carelessly, to slow, or unsafe and knowing by simple observation it is because they are preoccupied with either dialing, using, or talking on a cell phone. The problem is not the phone but the driver's skill and responsibility in understanding his or her skill.

Remove all cell phones, and you still have drivers in denial. Drivers who will find other distractions in radios, DVD players, items outside the vehicle, or one of a million other possible distractions. The driver's skill, understanding of the skill, understanding of the physics and risks associated with careless driving is the critical factor for improving safety as distractions will always exists.

There are far too many untrained drivers on the road. Obtaining a drivers license in most jurisdictions is far to easy and requires no understanding of vehicle dynamics. Spend just a few minutes on the road observing other drivers and it wont take long to find many people who do not understand the rules of the road, common courtesy, or appreciation for the power behind thousands of pounds moving at high velocity.

Many drivers do not know basic concepts like, how to merge, why not to pull in front of a semi-truck, how to drive in the snow, let alone parallel park. They may think they do, casual observation indicates they do not. A person who thinks they are a safe driver when in fact is not, is exponentially unsafe than someone who at least admits to being unsafe.

If society wants to save life, it's is time to hang up drivers licenses of bad drivers, not disconnect phones. If there were a national toll free number where drivers with cell phones could call and report unsafe drivers, and if any driver receives three or more calls is required to put a very visible and bright yellow decal on their vehicle stating they are unsafe, this would do far more for improving safety on the roads than a law eliminate cell phone use while driving.

Learn more about this author, David Kramer.
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