The Deadly Smartphone

You may have just replaced your Wheel Hubs or Bearing Assembly. Maybe you put on new tires, windshield wipers, or new headlights. After all, we’re approaching winter quickly and in many places that means tough driving conditions such as icy roads and darker nights. Even after such maintenance there may still be something compromising your safety while driving, and according to the NTSB, it’s your cell phone.

I’m definitely guilty of having used my cell phone while driving whether it was to answer a call, send a quick text message, or check an incoming email while sitting in traffic. It’s actually kind of hard to avoid with today’s smart phones. They buzz in your pocket every time someone makes a comment on Facebook, every time CNN posts a new story, and at random times throughout the day if you’ve made the mistake of teaching your mom how to text. However, I do agree that as they get more and more sophisticated, they get more and more dangerous to use while driving. The NTSB revealed that at any given moment, about 13.5 MILLION drivers are on hand-held phones. This past year alone about 3,000 people died in the U.S. due to such distractions, and the NTSB is calling for a nationwide ban on using cell phones to any degree while driving. And yes, this includes hands-free devices.

We’ll have to wait and see what this recommendation brings as the NTSB doesn’t actually have the authority to pass the law themselves. Many people think this would be just another way our government is over-abusing their right of control, while others think this is a reasonable measure. Should there be a compromise considering how many people use their phones for directions and other features? What about Pandora! And is talking to someone through a hands-free device any different than talking to someone in your back seat? I guess we will all find out shortly. What do you think?