THE Seahawk/February 22, ZOO ^
Future of cell phones while driving before NC Assembly
Wes Melville
Staff Writer
Two bills have recently been pro
posed in the North Carolina General
Assembly that, if passed, would
make it illegal to operate a cellular
phone while driving a car.
The bills, which were referred to
committee two weeks ago, bar the
use of hand-held cell phones and
require a driver to either utilize
some kind of hands-free device or
to pull over to the side of the road
when calling. Under the proposed
bills, the first violation would result
in a $25 fine.
The correlation between driving
and cell phones has increasingly be
come a controversial safety issue.
More and more states across the
country, like North Carolina, are
now trying to get laws passed ban
ning their use in cars. Only three -
California, Massachusetts and
Florida - thus far, have passed any
restrictions on cell phones. And as
of yet, no state has been able to en
force an outright ban.
In New Hanover County, there is
currently a drafted resolution by the
Board of Health that cites the dan
gers of cell phones and driving. The
resolution is different from a law in
that it is merely a “position state
ment,” said David Howard, the in
jury prevention and health educator
of New Hanover County.
“It’s a public education program”
designed to help reduce “the num
ber of (automobile) crashes due to
distractions and inattention,”
Howard said.
Howard feels the resolution is es
pecially important to New Hanover
County, which, according to
Howard, ranks above all other coun
ties in the state in crash rate per 100
miles of travel, non-fatal injury
crash rate and crash injury per 100
people.
Proponents of cell phone legisla
tion insist that conclusive studies
have shown that cell phones do
cause accidents. A study by the
University of Toronto was published
in the New England Journal of
Medicine in 1997. The results re
vealed that the risk of getting in an
accident is quadrupled when using
a cell phone, a rate nearly identical
to that of driving while under the in
fluence.
“Intoxication is merely a distrac
tion which enhances the probability
of accidents resulting in injury or
death. Talking on a cell phone while
driving produces the same kinds of
risks. It is very difficult for me to
justify a law banning one but not the
other,” said Mike Adams, associate
professor of criminal justice at UNC
Wilmington.
Adams’ viewpoint that “cell
phone legislation is badly needed
and completely justified” comes, in
part, from his own personal experi
ence with a cell phone driver.
While running, Adams was
“nearly struck by a woman in an
SUV,” he said.
The woman just happened to be
talking on her cell phone at the time
of the near accident.
Others at UNCW agree with the
need for legislation.
“I don’t think you should talk and
drive at the same time because
you’re not paying attention to the
road,” said Miri Gaines, a sopho
more.
Gaines also has first-hand expe
rience with the issue. She was rear-
ended by another cell phone user
who was not paying attention to the
road.
“I have a cell phone, but I
don’t use it when I’m driving,” said
freshman Craig Hewett.
Judging by their proven unpopu
larity, most people seem opposed to
passing any such laws. They feel
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cell phones
are just one
of many po
tential dis
tractions for
drivers and
putting a
ban on them
would mean
having to
put a ban on
things like
eating or
changing
music while
driving.
Some oppo
nents feel it
comes down
to a question of individual respon
sibility.
“It’s kind of everyone’s own
responsibility...there are some driv
ers that are terrible without a cell
phone to begin with,” said freshman
Brett Friday, who enjoys the advan
tages of using a cell phone to call
friends and family every now and
then and to notify people when he
is late.
“It’s not a problem, it’s just com
mon sense,” said sophomore Greg
Young. (The laws were) “putting
too many regulations
on the industry.”
Many like Young
wonder how the pro
posed legislation
might affect a rap
idly growing busi
ness, which now pro
vides service for
over 100 million
Americans.
“I don’t think it is
going to hurt our
business at all,” said
Drew Menard, lead
salesperson at Air
waves, a local cell
phone distributor.
GraphKby GaiMHerman “There are so many
new (hands-free) accessories” that
are being made available to the con
sumer, like ear pieces and speaker
phones.”
Airwaves offers “packages with
a hands-free accessory as well as an
ear piece,” Menard said. “Most
manufacliirers provide an instruc
tion booklet, which promotes safe
use especially when driving.”
If the legislation is passed, the
new law will go in effect on Decem
ber 1.
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