It is illegal to talk on a cell phone while driving but...

[DizBelle]

So, it is illegal, in many places, to talk on a cell phone (non hands free) while driving. Yet, it is not illegal to smoke while driving (which also occupies at least one hand). Why is that?

 

[LoraJ]

Probably because you can still easily put both hands on the steering wheel when needed.

I once had a girl driving behind me who had a cell phone in one hand and a cigarette in the other, probably driving with her knee and zig-zaging all over the place. And she had her phone on speaker. Having it on speaker but still in your hand does not count as hands free. Put the phone down!

 

[ckay87]

You can do a lot of things while driving, such as eating, applying makeup, etc. What probably sets cell phones apart is the amount of mental concentration it takes to drive, hold a phone AND think about what you are saying on the phone. And yet, I can drive, hold a hamburger, and talk with my passengers, so you have a good point.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Smoking is a habitual behavior. It takes almost no thought. Talking on a cell phone, even with a headset, pulls the attention of the driver away from the task at hand...

 

[ericamanda01]

Really you don't see the difference? I drive and smoke but I don't have to concentrate on a conversation with my cigarette. But if you think smoking is a distracting then we should outlaw: drinking, eating, music, and talking to passengers. As well as stick shift cars.

 

[FireDancer]

Driving while distracted is a ticketable offense. This is vague on purpose. One of my friends is a police officer and will ticket for applying makeup, shaving, reading a book, or anything else that constitutes a distraction while driving. He is 100% in court when challenged.

The NTSB (I think it has been changed to the NTHB now) released a study that found talking on a phone is distracting regardless of whether it was done on a hands free device or not. I am hoping all talking on the phone and texting is deemed illegal as soon as possible. They found that the combination of required cognitive thought combined with the lack of visual cues normally exchanged in face to face contact added to the level of distraction that a cell phone conversations causes regardless of whether you had to physically hold the phone or not. It wasn't the physical holding of the phone but the cognitive distraction that caused the issues.

 

[teacups]

Smoking doesnt use your brain (in oh so many ways!) but when talking your brain becomes occupied with thinking about the conversation and you do not pay attention to the road the same. Even the hands free ones. Baaaad idea. This is true for talking to people IN the car too, which is why so many teens get into accidents. Texting a whole different story!
OT: I wish people would stop smoking for other reasons. I watched my brother die of lung cancer at 44 and he certanly took the tough way out....

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I believe they have shown that driving and talking on a cell phone can impair the driver like alcohol does.

I know mythbusters did a show on the cell phone (though honestly I thought the conversation they created was a bit over the top complicated with the purpose to distract.)

I've not heard of many car accidents caused by a smoker's cigarette.

The issue is that your attention is diverted elsewhere and from what I have seen with smoker's, smoking doesn't require your concentration (except your my mother hunting for a cigarette ).

 

[threeboysmom]

Honestly, this whole cell phone thing drives me nuts. I've now heard that they are now wanting to ban hands-free? Give me a break.

They'd better ban having your kids ride in your car with you because that's an even BIGGER distraction while driving. Also, just having a discussion with a friend in the passenger seat is just as distracting as talking on the phone... so they'd better ban all people from riding in a vehicle except the driver...

 

[threeboysmom]

Crud, not sure how it happened.... double post

 

[DutchsMommy]

My first thought is that you have to look at the phone to dial (often) yet you dont have to 'look' at your cigarette to get it into your mouth.

 

[teacups]

Honestly, this whole cell phone thing drives me nuts. I've now heard that they are now wanting to ban hands-free? Give me a break.

They'd better ban having your kids ride in your car with you because that's an even BIGGER distraction while driving. Also, just having a discussion with a friend in the passenger seat is just as distracting as talking on the phone... so they'd better ban all people from riding in a vehicle except the driver...

What? Your saying that someone in a business meeting while driving 65 miles per hour is the same a me driving with my two kids strapped in the back? I'm not buying that one....

 

[threeboysmom]

What? Your saying that someone in a business meeting while driving 65 miles per hour is the same a me driving with my two kids strapped in the back? I'm not buying that one....

Have you ever ridden with kids fighting in the backseat? Or a toddler throwing toys? What about just having a conversation with your kids while driving? To me it's the same thing.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Have you ever ridden with kids fighting in the backseat? Or a toddler throwing toys? What about just having a conversation with your kids while driving? To me it's the same thing.

1. You pull over

2. You remove toys from naughty toddler

3. You ignore them


Being on a cell phone is an engaging activity. To avoid the distraction--pull over.

And if you cannot control your kids in the back seat and have an accident, your children will not be a valid defense.

You can train your children to behave and be safe in the car.

You can't train a cell phone conversation to not distract you.

Again--studies and testing have shown that a volunatary phone conversation endangers those arround you.

 

[C.Ann]

Smoking is a habitual behavior. It takes almost no thought. Talking on a cell phone, even with a headset, pulls the attention of the driver away from the task at hand...

This pretty much sums it up..

 

[threeboysmom]

3. You ignore them

LOL! Like I'm really going to ignore my children while driving. I have teens. Some of the best conversations happen while driving.

I'm certainly not going to tell everyone that enters my car to not talk to me because I won't be talking back.

To me, talking to the passenger in the front seat with you is the EXACT SAME THING as talking on a hands-free set.

 

[Darsa]

After the harrowing experience just this past weekend, on our way back home from camping and oh-so-carefully passing a gentleman who was DEFINITELY old enough to know better, yammering into a cellphone while reaching for a pen to take notes WHILE DRIVING... yeah, most people do not have the mental capacity to hold an intelligent conversation while still driving in a safe manner. Myself included. This is why I do not answer the phone when I'm driving, nor do I make calls unless I'm parked. A phone conversation is not worth risking my life or anyone else's over, EVER.

I find it sad that laws have to made to enforce things that SHOULD be common sense. Turning on lights when you turn on your wipers... duh. Don't text and drive... double duh. Wear your seatbelt... HELLO?!?!?

And it does not take as much of your brain to holler at/speak to your kids as it does to hold a conversation on the phone, I know this for a fact being a mom and aunt myself.

Smoking doesnt use your brain (in oh so many ways!)

I could not possibly agree more with this statement.

 

[Geoff_M]

The NTSB (I think it has been changed to the NTHB now) released a study that found talking on a phone is distracting regardless of whether it was done on a hands free device or not. I am hoping all talking on the phone and texting is deemed illegal as soon as possible.

However, one likely reason that there is no meaningful difference between the distraction rates of hands vs. hands-free cell phone use can be found that studies have found that the distraction rates between cell phone use and carrying on an extended conversation with someone sitting next to you are also comparable. The primary culprit appears to be the mental distraction of the conversation, not the medium for conducting it.

Logically, the only added distraction of using a cell phone is the time to mess with the phone to dial the number, mess with voice-mail, or hang up. And that distraction isn't really any different than when you have a BigMac in your lap, are drinking coffee, changing a CD, etc.

However, texting is a whole different kettle of fish.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

To me, talking to the passenger in the front seat with you is the EXACT SAME THING as talking on a hands-free set.

You are incorrect.

 

[FireDancer]

just having a discussion with a friend in the passenger seat is just as distracting as talking on the phone...

This has found not to be true. It has also been found that listening to the radio does not increase your chance of an accident with any statistical significance. A face to face conversation involves non-verbal feedback which requires much less cognitive thought to decipher, even when the face to face involves only short glances at a passenger. There are studies out there on the distraction level of phone conversations, it is unsafe even on a handset. No one needs to talk on the phone while driving, we were driving nearly 100 years just fine without phones.

I don't think anyone should be having any real contact with any backseat passengers regardless of the passenger's age. A conversation with them or glance in the mirror is probably fine but reaching back to do anything or fiddling with children should only be done safely from the side of the road.