Dsmpus \A>ice
Thursday, February 12, 2009 ■ {The Blue Banner} " Page 17
A roadside wake-up call
Safety behind the wheel is the driver’s responsibility
Everywhere you look you see people
talking on cell phones while driving, and
^hile this may distract you, a nationwide
ban won’t stop it.
Recently, the National Safety Council,
^ group focused on preventing accidental
'^juries and deaths, called on legislators
^'^ross the country to ban cell phone use
®id text messaging while driving.
„ While the NSC certainly watches out
or the livelihood of America’s citizens,
?uch a ban runs contrary to our country’s
'deal of freedom.
America prides itself on freedom. We
P^y for this freedom by being responsible
Or our actions. If a person uses a cell phone
'''bile driving and causes an accident, the
'^osponsibility falls on that person.
If legislators pass such a law, this as-
^Urnes people can’t make decisions for
diemselves. Unlike a drinking law, which
jPakes it illegal for people to have their
hod-alcohol content above a certain lev-
a complete ban on cell phone use has no
Middle ground. Cell phones can be turned
Off in an instant while alcohol must run its
oourse before a person can focus again.
A person who drinks a beer or two
oan drive home legally, so a person get-
''"g home late should be allowed to call
hin the road. Legislation should focus
0|| moderation rather than a total ban for
because of a few extreme cases.
, In North Carolina, the current law pro
fits cell phone use for bus drivers and
"yone under 18 years old while driving,
''cording to the Governor’s Highway
^fety Association.
In addition to the law above, a text ban
^''exists for the same group of drivers.
Naturally, teenagers listen and abide by
bcse laws.
^ell, not quite.
A few years after the law passed for
!®®nagers, a study in North Carolina found
j, He change in cell phone use in cars be-
*'''c and after lawmakers crafted the law,
Wording to the Insurance Institute for
^ 'Shway Safety. Roughly 11 percent used
phones before the law, compared to 12
Cfcent after the law, according to a study
Hed by the IIHS.
Laws try to change behavior, but the
By Tom McLean
Staff Writer
TJMCLEAN@UNCA.EDU
in the study didn’t stop using cell
phones. And if the laws didn’t change
teens, then what makes the NSC sure it
will work for adults?
The kind of law the NSC wants to pass
anticipates car wrecks caused by cell phone
use while driving, incorrectly assuming
cell phones are most distracting to a driver.
Would it make sense to outlaw all other
behaviors in a car just because something
might happen?
No one could justify the passing of
such laws and feel right about doing so.
Because we do enjoy our freedom and
responsibility in this country, we don’t
need groups pressuring ; ■
lawmakers into regulating
our behavior. If we want
legislators to be our par
ents, we’ll let them know.
“There’s a host of other
things that cause people
to be distracted,” said
Chief Bill Hogan of the
Asheville Police Depart
ment.
People eat, fix their
hair and change radio sta
tions while driving, add
ing to the distractions on ssb.'. _ —
the road.
“Tve seen on numerous occasions, at a
traffic light, people reading newspapers,”
said Hogan.
These arguments against the ban don’t
sit well with the NSC or anyone else push
ing for a nationwide ban. The big push for
the ban results from the distraction cell
phones cause while driving, according to
the NSC.
Rubbernecking and tailgating distract
drivers today just like yesterday. No
where on the highways of America does
a distraction-free zone exist. So then why
We don Y need
groups pressuring
lawmakers into
regulating our be
havior. If we want
legislators to be
our parents, we 11
let them know.
all the angst about cell phone use in cars?
Cell phones only entered mainstream
society in the last decade or so. They still
remain a novelty and because so many
people use cell phones while driving, they
receive the attention.
Other distractions, although problemat
ic when first noticed, remain an accepted
part of American-driving culture.
Make no mistake, using a cell phone
while driving remains dangerous and
risky. We can only learn and educate oth
ers if someone becomes hurt from using a
cell phone in a car.
If drivers want to use cell phones, they
need to understand their driving abilities.
A 16-year-old does not have the experi
ence of a 50-year-old, and younger drivers
should realize this. Similarly, if an older
driver starts using a phone while driving,
they should take the time to learn the new
habit.
If the ban passes, the enforcement of
the law becomes more
important than the law it
self And if enforcement
reduces the number of
accidents caused by cell
phone use while driving,
then maybe other bans
on distractions might not
hurt.
Bans on other distrac
tions must always take
the middle ground. It’s
ridiculous to think a ban
works with every person
in every situation every
~ time, and by focusing on
the middle ground, legis
lators keep things in balance.
As it stands, the ban doesn’t exist.
Since the NSC cares about driver safety,
they might consider focusing more of their
effort on educating drivers on the dangers
of cell phone use in cars. If they think
laws stop all behavior, the group needs to
take a look around.
Every American should decide on their
own whether or not to use a cell phone
while driving. By making up our own
minds about the issue, we become more
responsible citizens.
In the blink of
an eye, hit 90’s
band returns
By Cassidy Culbertson
Photography Editor
cjculber@unca.edu
The phrase “indefinite hiatus” conjures
particularly agonizing memories for die
hard Blink-182 fans.
And Mark Hoppus’ comment
“Blink-182 is back,” incites frenzied hope
and absolutely overwhelming excitement.
In 2005, the prolific ’90s pop-punk
group disbanded - a bitter personal break
up and sudden halt that shocked and de
pressed fans.
Blink-182 took the stage together fo:
the first time in four, years on Sunday at the
Grammys, announcing their full-scale re
turn. Within seconds, the band’s Web site
transformed from dated 2006 blog posts to
a bold new image, affirming the group’s
summer 2009 reunion.
“I’m shaking. I’m crying. Ican’tbreathe.
It was the most epic thing I’ve seen in my
entire life,”. Shonna Bell, a Blink-182 fan
said Sunday night, echoing the sentiments
of many.
I didn’t resort to tear-streaked hyper
ventilation, but the announcement filled
me with a bubbly energy.
Something about the reunion of these
three guys, who wrote the first parental-
advisory CD I ever purchased, reuniting
motivates me to do crazy things, like go to
the gym and do laundry.
Blink insists the reunion wasn’t about
money, but one based on forgiveness and
friendship. Blink-182 is, again, simply
best friends making music.
“Mark, Tom and Travis,” the energetic
trio fueling Blink-182’s career, united in
1998. “Enema of the State,” the first to
include all three members, rocketed the
band from punk obscurity to worldwide
- See Blink Page 18 I