Virginia wants to ban teens from using their cellies while driving

The Virginia state senate has decided they've had enough of rowdy teenagers talking on their cellphones while driving and have chosen to take the highly controversial step of passing a law that would make it illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to use a cellphone while behind the wheel of a car. That covers hands-free kits and Bluetooth headsets, too, not that you'd find too many teens willing to rock the Jabra anyway.

[Ian @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

This is odd, seeing as teenagers have a faster reaction time, and often more experiance with cellphone usage than older members of the public...

[Joey Geraci @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

It seems like mobile professionals above the age of 18 probably make a greater proportion of cellphone drivers than under 18, especially if use of a handsfree headset is factored out.

[John Hill @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

Why is it "highly controversial"? Its been proven that driving while using things like phones impairs driving. No one should use a phone while driving no matter what the age. Anyone who uses a phone while driving is a total fool. Cars are dangerous and phones make it worse.

[David @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

Here in the UK you are required by law to use a hands-free kit if you want to talk on your mobile while driving, no matter how old you are.

Of coruse, people who drive Jaguars and BMWs seem to be exempt from this - maybe they can just afford the fines!

[MathieuMa @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

And here in France you are required by law to just not phone while driving. At all.
This includes hand freekits and other gadgets - at any age.

The reason are conclusions of numerous studies on phoning while driving which concluded that reaction time was bigger, vision angle was smaller.
One of the reason is that you can't concentrate complettely on 2 things (emergency brake requires concentration to make it in time) , and that while phoning you imagine the remote person at the same time which requires some more thinking.

And as a young driver (just 1 year of licence) I can tell you that I can't phone safely while driving.

[Jacqui Lucas @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

All drivers should be banded or use hands-free devices while driving....talking on the phone while driving has caused more problems in Virginia....

[Amen @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

I'd suggest that they are being discriminatory... I think *no one* should use something like that while driving, not just teens. In Australia this is the law, you are allowed to use hands free kits though and i think this is fair enough, then its basically like talking to someone in the car (if you want to ban that i'd love to see someone enforce it)

[oceanplexian @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

i dont know, its like the DMCA, im sure a law like this would be streatched to do horrible things. Headsets are fine, especially the in-car speaker systems. What happens when we ban fast food?

"Nope, no fast food for you buddy, you can't concentrate on two things at once. Pay the Fine."

or in-car radios

"Get in the car, this Rod Stewart music is distracting you!"

[Hube @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

While I endorse the limiting of cell phones while driving I don't believe it should be limited to teenagers.

But, hey. Virginia is full of wackjobs anyways. Got family in the area and have been there multiple times and there all odd. I mean this is a state that bans radar detectors.

[in dc @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

it's not the teens that are the problem.....it's the middle age and young adults who are flying in their suv's, gabbing, not staying in their lanes because of inattention and creating the problems. Everyone in Virginia should be using hands free or better yet, no cell phones while driving. Of course this is the same state that allows guns to be sold to anyone, anytime, anywhere so what can we expect?

[Malfoy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

That is the ugliest pic of a person I've seen in a looooooooong time.

[Jeff @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

Talking to friends who are in the car with you is probably much more distracting than talking on the cell phone.

Doing ANYTHING buy driving while driving is distracting. I see people reading books, puting on makeup, shaving, eating, drinking, etc. all the time. What's with this obsession with cell phones?

Why not let the government outlaw navigation, stereo, all seats except the driver seat, and so on? They all take your eyes/attention off the road!

[Steven @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

its been shown that any distractions while driving increase risk roughly equaly. The article I had read said that the risk in talkin on a cell phone while driving was not holding the phone, but the actual conversation. Meaning, hands-free or not, cell phones are dangerous while driving. They said operating the radio was as dangerous as cell phone usage. So no operating your radio while driving.

[adam darby @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

the one girl looks like she's been infected by an Alien.

left girl - "i just farted!!"
right girl - "aaaaargh! i'm going to transform NOW? not on the way to band practice!"

[arkowi @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

Hube, thanks for your highly biased views on my homestate. Maybe its just your family??

[David @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

"Talking to friends who are in the car with you is probably much more distracting than talking on the cell phone."

Not really. The driver and passengers alike are aware of the surrounding traffic and conversation tends to pause during driving maneuvers that require more concentration.

[Jeff @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

I live in northern Virginia and can atest to the terrible driving here. People are maniacs; just try driving around the DC beltway a few times. Talking on the phone while driving (headset or not) is simply a bad idea. I think it should be illegal at all times for everyone.

Hube: Thanks for the recognition. Us Virginia wackjobs are always going unnoticed.

[gt @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

yea i dont think it is just teens. here in arlington, seems like every cab driver is using a handsfree and gabbing to their cabbie friends meanwhile i'm scared for my life as we're in two lanes at once and he crosses 3 lanes without looking.

[Michael @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

A couple of years ago my bus driver was talking on his mobile while taking a busload of people to work. Unbelievable. I did the only thing a good citizen could do and narced on him.

[Brett Favray @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

1. This is odd, seeing as teenagers have a faster reaction time, and often more experiance with cellphone usage than older members of the public...

/*
Try telling that to the actuaries who set the rates for insurance agencies.
*/

17. seems like every cab driver is using a handsfree and gabbing to their cabbie friends meanwhile i'm scared for my life as we're in two lanes at once and he crosses 3 lanes without looking.

/*
Um, cab drivers don't need cell phones to drive like maniacs.
*/

[Noah @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

I just moved from Brooklyn, NY, where I rarely drove, to Oakland, CA, where I drive much more but still bike to work each day. I'm amazed by how many bad drivers there are and at the high percent of how many erratically-moving cars I see turn out to be driven by people yapping on cells. Cell phones should be banned from use while driving a car, no questions asked, but that'll never happen. Too much money behind the cell phone industry lobbyists. At the least, hands-free kits should be mandatory.

It's not just cell phone users -- the other day some guy was doing 45 on the freeway, weaving about, and he turned out to have a big ol' mug of some steaming beverage or another in one hand while driving with the other. But I see many, many more people driving with a cell in one hand than with anything else in that hand.

It's really a menace -- the distraction caused by a cell phone is double ... you've got one hand that should be on the wheel taken up by another object *and* talking on a phone is much more distracting than talking to a person sitting next to you. Research has shown that you use more of your concentration to imagine/envision the person on the other end of the line than you do simply talking to a person who's right there.

At the least, everyone should be required to have a hands-free so both hands can be on the wheel.

[Joel @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

Americans are idiots cell phones should be banned. Compared to the rest of the world by law you cant talk and drive. Its safer the end!

[Trejkaz @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

I agree. Cab drivers only need radio to drive like maniacs, so maybe the poster further up was right... drivers shouldn't be allowed to listen to the radio and drive at the same time. ;-)