Posted: Sunday, March 5, 2006 12:00 am
At least one branch of the federal government isn/t bashful about making tough new rules.
The Department of Defense has sent a directive that hand-held cell phones are not to be allowed while driving on military land, or in government-owned vehicles.
Officials at Vandenberg Air Force Base, where the new rules have been in force since last week, say the goal is to reduce traffic accidents on base.
This may just be the start of more sweeping, general rules about the use of cell phones while driving. A couple of states, including New York, have banned the use of hand-held cells while driving.
There is one cell phone in use for about every three people in America. A study by the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society indicates cell-phone distraction causes 2,600 deaths and 330,000 injuries in the U.S. every year. The study indicates drivers talking on cell phones are 18 percent slower to react to brake lights.
But the problem of distracted drivers goes far beyond simply making a cell call. Many other things take drivers/ minds or eyes off the road, including drinking coffee and eating, fiddling with a CD, applying makeup, arguing or talking with a passenger, dealing with kids in the car or even just listening to music.
When behind the wheel, the best policy is to turn off the phone, put down the coffee or Big Mac, and keep your eyes and mind on the road ahead. We shouldn/t a law to help us practice good, common sense.
March 5, 2006