Politics & Government

Board Calls for Total Ban on Cell Phones While Driving

A national board is taking a hard line in recommendation.

The National Transportation Safety Board made a bold declaration yesterday: any sort of talking, texting or surfing while driving should be banned in all states.  The new recommendation applies to hands-free devices as well, a much stricter take than the safety officials have had before.

An article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution says that the board voted unanimously for the recommendation—and they are urging all states to pass the stricter rules on cell phone use when driving. (The board cannot actually enact laws, but they do have sway over those who can, according to the article.) 

The article cites dangerous crashes that have occurred recently, including one in which “a teenager sent or received 11 text messages in 11 minutes before an accident.” 

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NTSB chairman Deborah Hersman said that she knew the decision would not be popular but that, "No email, no text, no update, no call is worth a human life."

What do you think? Are these rules too strict? Should a person be able to make a phone call and still keep his eyes on the road? Or should a “zero tolerance” policy be adopted in Georgia?

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