Will PA ban hand-held devices while driving? (Pittsburgh, Washington: buy, university)

[kate1048]

Moved to PA fairly recently from Washington DC, where it is illegal to use a hand-held device while driving a car. I realize only a handful of state (DC, MD, CA, NY, and a few others) have cell phone/texting bans, but I really wish PA would be progressive on this front.

Does anyone know which, if any, state representatives are trying to get such legislation passed?

It's scary to me how many people constantly have their cell phones glued to them while driving, as if they can't drive without making a phone call. Have they not read studies that show such behavior is as dangerous as driving intoxicated? It is especially amazing that they do so even when they have young children in the back seat.

[Aqua Teen Carl]

Originally Posted by kate1048

Have they not read studies that show such behavior is as dangerous as driving intoxicated?

Although it is highly dangerous to text/talk while driving, I don't buy that it's just as dangerous as being drunk and driving.

[Jrn14]

I actually read studies that say it's more dangerous than being intoxicated.

[MeinGlanzendMotorrad]

"Banning things I disagree with" is "Progressive"?

Please, by all means, call me regressive. What we do NOT need is the government deciding to make more things illegal. It's already citable to do a great many things while driving, such as changing lanes illegally, not being in control of a vehicle in the case of an accident, etc.

Making it illegal to do something and have NOTHING BAD HAPPEN is... criminal. Or should be.

[fleetiebelle]

Unfortunately, banning things doesn't keep people from doing them.

Although it is highly dangerous to text/talk while driving, I don't buy that it's just as dangerous as being drunk and driving.

There's info here: Driving Distracted | Stats and Facts | Driving and Texting (http://www.distraction.gov/stats-and-facts/ - broken link)

Using a cell phone use while driving, whether it’s hand-held or hands-free, delays a driver's reactions as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent. (Source: University of Utah)

[MeinGlanzendMotorrad]

Interestingly I've been hit many times in traffic. None of them were on their cell phone or using any sort of device.

They were just idiots.


Now if only we could ban idiots, too... but then who would lobby for bans?

[greg42]

Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl

Although it is highly dangerous to text/talk while driving, I don't buy that it's just as dangerous as being drunk and driving.

Talking on a handheld, no, but texting impairs you as much or more than being drunk. Car and Driver actually did a test against it, yes, with people actually drinking.

Personally I am against banning handheld phones because I don't think hands free makes the difference. It's the talking itself that causes the distraction, and you can't ban that. (You'd have to ban passengers! I believe that talking to passengers is just as distracting.) Having one hand off the wheel is a marginal factor in reaction time, perhaps measurable, perhaps not.

I'm not necessarily against banning texting, but I don't see how enforceable that is. Making more people aware always helps, however you do that. This is one where people's stupidity does affect other people, unlike seatbelts where the stupidity only gets the stupid person killed. So I'd say ban texting and repeal the seatbelt law.

[fleetiebelle]

I've said it before, but I don't understand why anyone would think driving and texting is a viable option. "Here, let me just take my eyes off the road for just a sec..."

It's the talking itself that causes the distraction, and you can't ban that.

True, but at least a passenger in your car can see that you're concentrating and will stop talking, while the person on the phone may just keep yammering.

[Copanut]

Almost got t-boned by a jerk texting, ban all cell phone use, IMHO.

[ossewa]

A ban on handheld devices only addresses a symptom of America's generally poor driving, rather than the root cause. It is too easy to get and then maintain an operator's license.
While very courteous when compared to East coast drivers, Pittsburghers regularly fail one the most fundamental rules of the road. When you see and hear a siren, you are to immediately pull over to the curb and wait for the police/ambulance/fire vehicle to pass. Next time you hear a siren while out driving, marvel at the huge numbers of drivers who completely ignore this.