LaHood calls for nationwide ban on cell phone conversations, texting while driving
(Jason Getz, AJC)
(Updated 3:04 p.m.)
If it’s left up to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, no driver on U.S. roads would be allowed to talk or text on cell phones while behind the wheel.
LaHood on Thursday called on Congress to ban talking or texting while driving any vehicle on any road in the nation, according to a Reuters report.
LaHood told a group of doctors, advocates and government officials in San Antonio that the problem of accidents connected to cell phone use is a “national epidemic.” The National Transportation Safety Administration reported 3,000 traffic deaths attributed to distracted driving last year, many blamed on cell phone use.
He said he was not too concerned about people who eat or apply makeup while driving because “not everyone does that,” Reuters reported.
“But everyone has a cell phone and too many of us think it is OK to talk on our phones while we are driving,” the secretary was quoted as saying.
LaHood has been pushing for the ban for several years. His office said he remains supportive of state efforts to address the issue. So far, 37 states plus the District of Columbia have banned texting while driving and 10 states plus D.C. have total bans on handheld phones while driving.
Georgia’s law banning texting while driving took effect July 1, 2010. According to the state Department of Driver Services, there had been more than 500 convictions for violations of the law as of mid-December.
Georgia Code 40-6-241.1 prohibits people under the age of 18 from “wireless communications” (cell phone conversations, texting, sending or reading emails, etc.) while operating a motor vehicle. Georgia Code 40-6-241.2 prohibits people 18 years old or older from “writing, sending or reading text based communication” while operating a motor vehicle.
Is it time for a federal ban on talking and texting while driving?
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163 comments Add your comment
Ned Puddleman
April 27th, 2012
12:37 pm
Just what we need, another law on the books. Give the Nazi’s another reason to stop and search you and your property.
Atlien
April 27th, 2012
12:38 pm
The cell phone ban works great in California. I bet 99% of poor lane discipline on interstates would be solved by banning cell phone use in GA. Almost everytime I see a slow driver in the left lanes on 75 or 85, the driver is on the phone.
Rich
April 27th, 2012
12:40 pm
Let’s deal with a real issue with driving. Why is it so dificult for people to use a stop sign correctly? So often, I see one person go at a time. It should be two at a time, unless one is turning.
Voice of Reason
April 27th, 2012
12:42 pm
Might as well just enact a law that says we can’t talk to the person sitting next to us while driving or have kids under the age of 8 in the car because they might talk and distract the driver because they don’t know any better.
Police cannot even enforce the no texting while driving law here in Georgia but let’s go ahead and make a federal case for a law that’s impossible to enforce.
Because, you know, all the other problems in the world have already been taken care of.
sherman
April 27th, 2012
12:42 pm
Next you can tell us where to stand – sit, if we can go to the bathroom, maybe that dude has got it right…prison planet indeed! – the officious better be good at hide and go seek…
Rick James
April 27th, 2012
12:44 pm
Let’s also ban eating,applying make up, talking to other passengers,changing the radio or cd’s,reading billboards and having kids in the backseats who may fight or cry and distract us.Let’s just ban driving period.
ed
April 27th, 2012
12:47 pm
It is indeed sad that a federal ban on driving while operating a cell phone is necessary. But isn’t that the kind of society that has evolved? For every problem haven’t we been conditioned to reflexively say: “The government needs to do something about this.” And those dictatorial bureaucrats in government have gleefully obliged. If this administration has its way a regulation will decide when we die. Then when we are born.
dave
April 27th, 2012
12:54 pm
People will not stop talking on their cells.while driving.,. they all have that mindset, that nothing will happen to me,, I am smarter than everyone else….
Obvious Troll is Obvious
April 27th, 2012
12:55 pm
But it’s still legal to get “road head” right?
WithAGrainOfSalt
April 27th, 2012
1:00 pm
What kills me (almost literally) is the fool pulling out of their driveway in the morning with a cig in one hand, cell phone, resting on their shoulder, held by their chin and looking in the rear view mirror do put on their makeup. Wake up 10 minutes earlier and do that in your bathroom!!!
Tommy
April 27th, 2012
1:04 pm
Its not needed. There is already a law covering wreckless driving. Use it no matter what’s making someone drive wrecklessly, be it the cell phone, passenger, newspaper….whatever. Leave the people alone driving safely. This would require a little more enforcement energy, you’d have to watch how people drive instead of look for a telephone or big number on the radar screen.
Too much
April 27th, 2012
1:08 pm
The statement that talking on a cell phone while driving is just as dangerous as a DUI, and therefore should be punishable in the same manner is idiotic. Try intoxicating 80% of the drivers and lets see how many wrecks occur then.
JJ
April 27th, 2012
1:09 pm
Thanks for a thoughtful reply Tommy. We dont need more laws just enforce what we already have on the books.
anne
April 27th, 2012
1:09 pm
yes Please, please pass this law. people do not have common sense anymore!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Mic
April 27th, 2012
1:14 pm
Yes, a law is absolutely needed, needs to be enforced and the punishment severe, like drivers license suspension on the first offense. I agree with Mr. LaHood, cellphone distraction, for drivers is a deadly epidemic. I encounter these crazy people every day, on I75. They’re easy to spot, it’s the woman in the huge SUV driving in three lanes, at 40 mph. Someone mentioned “dui”, they are driving under the influence. of that contraption stuck in their ear! Another growing problem, I’m seeing more truck drivers and cops using cellphones while driving, and no, they don’t multitask well either. Yes, we do need a law, banning use of cellphones while operating a motor vehicle and the penalty should be stiff enough to get the guilty off the road….. permanently! I’m tired of being put at risk just because some crazy clown thinks they have a right to endanger innocent peoples lives.
Richard
April 27th, 2012
1:15 pm
Why not just outlaw bad driving?
Joe
April 27th, 2012
1:18 pm
@ Too Much – you may be correct about talking, but texting is definitely just as dangerous.
kuhndog
April 27th, 2012
1:20 pm
I saw this coming and it will get worse before it gets better.You know the cell phone providers and their lobbyist will fight this they will kiss congress butt, they don’t care about lives or safety only $$$$$$$$$$$$$$
No critic
April 27th, 2012
1:24 pm
Sad thing to have government stepping in what should be a common sense. On the other hand, though, we clearly see how many stupid peolpe are around us. That is the reality. And these walking “texters” – same thing. Just more of “unattached”, people talking, and texting nothing, but stupidity all the time. However, no ability to keep a normal converstion. Where is this world going?
ABC
April 27th, 2012
1:24 pm
If you can afford a car, you can afford a $20 (or even less!) Bluetooth headset.
ItsCalledBluetooth
April 27th, 2012
1:27 pm
I disagree – a complete cell phone ban is a waste of tax payer money. There are too many laws to enforce as it is. Everyone who agrees that a law is needed should research “Defensive Driving” or take a class. Protect yourself and mind your own business.
XYZ
April 27th, 2012
1:28 pm
Hate to break it to you ABC, bluetooth devices are banned as well. It is a total ban on cell phone use that is proposed.
ATL_Native
April 27th, 2012
1:28 pm
How about a law requiring ALL CARS BE MADE MORE SAFE!
Safety is a feature that’s for sale. SMH
Leroy
April 27th, 2012
1:31 pm
@Common Since: You are full of $#!*. Beating the crap out of someone because he hit your vehicle (injured child not withstanding) and the cops didn’t charge you ? What a load of crap. Try that with me BOY and you’ll wear your A$$ for a hat.
Phoneless
April 27th, 2012
1:33 pm
Why the heck can’t you just make the call before you leave or wait till you get to where you are going before making a phone call? Seriously, is it that important to keep yacking on the phone? Remember, we used to know have cell phone and we survived just fine.
Yes, please pass the law!!!!
Joshua
April 27th, 2012
1:33 pm
ANOTHER federal law…. why not ?
JimmyZ
April 27th, 2012
1:33 pm
Okay, first of all, as mentioned before, this would NOT allow you to use bluetooth. He wants ALL cellphone use stopped, period.
Now on to the fun part. Next time you walk by a police car, look inside. Between a lighting/siren control panel that looks like a mad scientist control panel, more controls for a video camera, a radar system, and the ever-present laptop, it’s a wonder they have time to drive at all.
It’s not the act of talking and driving that is the problem, it’s the fact that some people just can’t multi-task. I’d say this has a 0.000001 percent chance of passing.
Renee
April 27th, 2012
1:34 pm
If you are going to ban cell phones from use in cars, you need to ban radios and passengers/carpooling as well. One is no worse a distraction than the other.
The Man
April 27th, 2012
1:35 pm
I am always challenging myself….I like eating and texting at the same time. It sharpens your driving skills…helps fine tune them.
ItsCalledBluetooth
April 27th, 2012
1:36 pm
I think Mr. LaHood needs to figure out why gas is $4 a gallon and why the oil companies have record profits year over year. We wont be able to afford to drive if they don’t do something.
Jeff
April 27th, 2012
1:36 pm
It will be even more dangerous, because people will be even further distracted by trying to hide their illegal texting/calling…
LaHoods a jerk
April 27th, 2012
1:37 pm
GBurdell…you have no idea how close you came to hitting the head on the nail. LaHood has in fact stated if he had his way he would ban anything in a vehicle that could possibly cause a distraction. Yes, that does include your phone (handsfree or not),GPS, any form of radio (you have to fiddle with the knobs/buttons right?), even the C.B.s that truckers use to communicate with each other.
RexDogma
April 27th, 2012
1:38 pm
Banning on talking on a phone is stupid. I one night reported an erratic driver and followed him with the police on the phone until they showed up. The guy was severely DUI and who knows how many lives I might have saved by reporting this guy. He was arrested a few minutes after the police arrived. Also you could make everything else done in a car. Such as eating, arguing with children, radio or cd listening, shaving, sex and the list grows. Folks get a life!!!
real john
April 27th, 2012
1:42 pm
Another bloated government bureaucrat trying to justify their job.
Driving deaths have been steadily declining for years in the U.S. When you factor in the number of cars and number of miles driven, accident deaths are pretty low in the U.S.
I can’t remember where I read it, but that 3000 number was shot down by several researchers. Notice how it says “many were blamed on texting and talking.” Please provide proof Mr. Lahood. He can’t, its just some bogus numbers the NTSB presented to argue their case…kind of like the “saved and create mythical jobs” numbers the stimulus supposedly created
James
April 27th, 2012
1:42 pm
Maybe we should just ban driving all together, and let the government provide transportation. They seem to want to control every other aspect of our lives, so why not controll that too. Oh yea, they are starting to control that too. Socialism…!
FreshmakerGT
April 27th, 2012
1:45 pm
I don’t not being able to talk while driving. In what way does that distract anyone? It doesn’t take your eyes off the road. To me there’s no difference between using bluetooth and holding the phone to your ear. If you can’t manage to do that, you probably shouldn’t be driving anyway.
Now texting/emailing while driving should definitely be banned. That’s extremely dangerous, and causes you to take your eyes off the road to look at the phone. I am all for banning that.
Rick James
April 27th, 2012
1:47 pm
Let’s ban law enforement from engaging in high speed chases where when the suspect is caught the most serious charge is eluding police.People die from this foolishness too.
lylone
April 27th, 2012
1:48 pm
It will never pass, unless it excludes people who work for the government! God forbid that the lawmakers may have to shut up and drive!
World watching
April 27th, 2012
1:48 pm
He said he was not too concerned about people who eat or apply makeup while driving because “not everyone does that,” Reuters reported.
OK So that he does not have so many companies trying o stop him who OWN DRIVE THU DINERS IN THE USA.
To hell with Obama……………….. GOP shall return to power and dismantle these nit cases.
Ricardo
April 27th, 2012
1:49 pm
It’s about time to start enforcing the driving laws on nthe slow drivers driving in the left lane too.
Aaron
April 27th, 2012
1:51 pm
Pretty pathetic they are going to such extremes. There are more things that distract drivers other then using a phone. A little hypocritical that at the same instance Atlanta is on the verge of making “growlers” or beer to-go containers legal. WTF is wrong with people in charge?
Mike
April 27th, 2012
1:54 pm
Its not a hands-free issue here. The issue is driving while distracted. If your involved in a conversation with someone on the phone, bluetooth or not, you run a high risk of being distracted long enough to have an accident. I dont talk on the cell phone much so its no big deal to me.
FEAR
April 27th, 2012
1:55 pm
I’m 100% behind this idea!
The Quill
April 27th, 2012
1:55 pm
I’m all for this law. It’s long overdue. Unfortunately, it’s a law that will be hard to enforce. Maybe fines should be stiffer in order to have any real impact on driving behavior.
too many texters
April 27th, 2012
1:58 pm
I never realized how many people text and drive until I started riding public transportation. When you’re up on a bus looking down at the cars around you, you’ll see that more than half of all cars that go by are being driven by people texting, checking email, etc. When you’re in a regular car, you often can’t see just how much texting goes on down in the lap of the driver. I could count the number of people doing other distracting things (make-up, radio, eating, etc) on just one hand. I used to count the number of people that went by doing this because of how incredulous I was, but then the numbers became frighteningly high, and I couldn’t bear to watch. Oh, and this is all taking place on Interstate 75 during morning and afternoon peak traffic times.
too many texters
April 27th, 2012
1:59 pm
By “this”, I mean texting, not the other distracting things I mentioned.
Al Sharpton
April 27th, 2012
2:01 pm
This ain’t noting, butt rasism. Them white folx tryin’ to dissiminate us a’gehn. Gonna get Barack involved to stop this ha’rrassin’…
Kneel Borezt
April 27th, 2012
2:02 pm
Desperately needed is a law which bans from posting those who can neither write grammatically nor spell correctly.
Innocent Bystander
April 27th, 2012
2:04 pm
I support this idea 100%.
Georgia citizen
April 27th, 2012
2:05 pm
The police are the worst offenders.