Regulate use of Cell phones on the Road

Introduction

An escalation in the number of motor cars collides that appear to be sourced by vehicle drivers using cell phones has sparked debate among state policymakers on the need for regulating cell phone use while driving. Although there is anecdotal evidence of the dangers inherent in careless cell phone use while driving, opponents of regulation suggest that the problem is not with the phones themselves, but rather in their inappropriate use. For example, in 1999 a driver who was using a cell phone killed a two-year old Pennsylvania girl. (Besthoff, 25)

In North Carolina, a driver distracted by a cell phone hit and killed a state corrections officer. Whether regulation could help curtail the irresponsible actions of some drivers remains a question. At present, only a few states have regulated the use of phones in automobiles, and the federal government has taken no action on the issue.

The cell phone is ubiquitous. It is an indispensable tool in the business world. Mom and Dad use to stay in touch with their children. People use them in public places and driving.

Cell phones have cons and also drawbacks: their tones are sharp and their conversations are upsetting. A question arises: should we adopt regulations to protect the public against these dangers?

Background:

Over the past 5 years, the use of wireless phones has risen dramatically. According to the National Conference of State Legislature's Environment, Energy and Transportation Program, an estimated 60 million people in the United States subscribed to cellular service in 1999; that number was projected to jump to 80 million within one year.

Opponents of regulation point out that there are obvious benefits to having such access at hand, particularly in emergency situations. Indeed, it would appear that many of the calls made by drivers are in response to emergency situations. Nevertheless, surveys indicate that drivers use their cellular phones for many other purposes including conducting business and communicating with friends and loved ones. (Redelmeier, 453)

Proponents of regulation maintain that drivers who operate phones while on the road substantially increase their risk of collision. This view was confirmed by a 1997 study published by the New England Journal of Medicine, which found that the distraction caused by a brief cell phone call quadruples the risk of an automobile crash; this rate is comparable to that of accidents caused by drunken driving. Surprisingly, the authors of the study found that the amplified danger was mainly due to perform of having a conversation, rather than the distraction of finding phone numbers or dialing. (Cell Phones and Highway Safety, 67)

This finding appears to be confirmed by work done at the University of Reading where researchers found that hands-free phone equipment did not improve safety. Indeed, they found that cell phone use, regardless of the type of equipment, distracted drivers and made them significantly worse at judging distance and anticipating hazards on the road. (Pena, 18)

Opponents of regulation, however, are not convinced that the danger posed by cell phone use is ...