Jan 12, 2009 12:30 pm US/Eastern
National Cell Phone Ban Proposed For Drivers
6 States Have Bans In Place Already
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
Using your cell phone while behind the wheel could become a federal offense, if a national safety group gets its way.
CBS station WBBM-TV reports national studies and statistics are making Chicago's cell phone law look like it's on the right track.
The National Safety Council wants a total ban on cell phone use by motorists. The safety group examined more than 50 scientific studies and concluded that talking on cell phones while driving is like driving drunk.
Cell phone use increases the risk of a crash four-fold. And hands-free phones are no safer than hand held phones, the group found.
One study estimates 6 percent of vehicle crashes are caused by cell phone use, contributing to 2,600 deaths and 12,000 serious injuries a year.
Six states have bans against cell phones while driving: California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Utah and Washington.
Here in Chicago, cell phone users say they use them responsibly.
"I'm guilty of it. But it's everyone's responsibility," Moira Coughlin said. "If you can't you shouldn't be on the phone."
"I'm a limo driver and I need it conduct business," Jeff Arnold said. "Wireless is good, altogether ban, not good."
Arnold said he always uses his wireless device when he uses his cell phone.
Others say they support the ban after close calls wtih drivers using their cell phones.
Many a motorist has had a close call with a driver using a cell phone in Chicago.
It happened to Paul Giron the other day.
"I had my 14-month-old child with me and someone turned left on a red light, and he was on a cell phone. And it was in the middle of a snowstorm," Paul Giron said.
Some motorists say they wouldn't mind stricter laws banning cell phone use.
"I know I love my cell phone, but in the pursuit of safetyness for everyone that's around you, even yourself, it'd be a nice law for us," driver Prince Redmond said.
"I think it's dangerous, and more in this kind of condition and this kind of weather. I really think if you're going to use a cell phone it should be when you're stopped, when you park," said motoris Lina Felipez.
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