One basic of writing a column is that the writer needs to have a strong opinion on the issue she is writing about. Normally, that is not a problem for me. I’m pretty opinionated. But I’m torn about whether I support hands-free legislation for mobile-phone users.
It’s Wireless Safety Week-the week the industry hails all that is good about wireless devices, how much they have contributed to emergency situations, etc. It’s also the week industry educates its customers on the proper times and places to use their wireless devices.
With that as a backdrop, the question looms: Should hands-free legislation become as mandatory as seatbelt laws?
Why not? I ask myself. If one accident is avoided, if one person lives, would it not be worth it? I remember how my home state struggled to get seatbelt legislation passed. In the end, I was embarrassed that the lawmakers in my state did not want to pass a law designed to protect people. But basically North Dakotans think along these lines: “If that stubborn old farmer out in Appam (population 8) doesn’t want to wear a seatbelt, that’s his business, not the government’s.”
So I was not surprised that during the House subcommittee testimony about electronic driver distractions, the representative from Montana said he wanted to make sure that “the federal government doesn’t continually try to legislate common sense on states like Montana.” And that the representative from South Dakota offered that “cell phones come in handy in some cases just from keeping people from falling asleep.”
(True. I’ve driven in South Dakota.)
However, I live in the big city now. Does the perspective change? I sometimes dial my wireless phone when I should be paying better attention to traffic. But usually, traffic is crawling at about 5 mph. If I tap the car in front of me, it likely won’t harm more than a bumper. Isn’t it more dangerous to be on the open road at dusk somewhere in Wyoming, where the antelope are plentiful and attracted to headlights? Where does common sense come in?
Crash data available today says wireless phones aren’t significantly contributing to crashes. However, wireless phones certainly can be a distraction. They can cause accidents-so can a can of soda tipped over, or a cup of coffee splashed or a song on the radio.
The problem is cell phones-specifically other drivers’ cell phones-are annoying. (Your own phone, of course, is a productive tool that enhances your life.)
Are we going to legislate something because it bugs us, or is there a real danger? States like New Jersey are trying to find out. And when more of the data is available, an honest judgement on the need to mandate hands-free talking can be made.
