| Cell phones are a huge part of our lives | | | | their attention off the road.Many states and |
| these days. Everyone seems to have a cell | | | | cities are continuously trying to get laws |
| phone because they make everything so much | | | | passed which will ban the use of cell phones |
| more convenient. The problem that we are | | | | in the car. Some places have already passed |
| facing with cell phones though, is how many | | | | laws, such as Connecticut, New Jersey and |
| car accidents they are causing.In the United | | | | Chicago. Connecticut drivers are fined $100 |
| States there are over 210 million people that | | | | for using the cell phone while driving, as |
| use cell phones. People are relying on them | | | | well as doing other things such as putting on |
| more and more. Because of all the car | | | | makeup or disciplining children in the car. |
| accidents associated with cell phone use, we | | | | New Jersey fines people $100 to $250 for |
| must decide whether this convenience is | | | | using the phone.Even businesses that do most |
| really worth it in the car.When drivers use | | | | of their work by phone are prohibiting their |
| the cell phone in the car, there are two big | | | | workers from using phones in the car. Many |
| problems. First, you have to take your eyes | | | | businesses now have policies in effect that |
| off the road to dial. Second, cell phone | | | | require their employees to get off the road |
| conversations can be so absorbing that you | | | | to make business calls.There are at least 40 |
| lose the ability to concentrate on driving. | | | | countries today that restrict or ban using |
| This is very dangerous and jeopardizes the | | | | the cell phone while driving. These |
| safety of everyone in and around the car.In a | | | | countries include Austria, Australia, Brazil, |
| study done in April 2006, it was found that | | | | Belgium, Chile, Botswana, Denmark, Finland, |
| 80% of car crashes involved the driver not | | | | Egypt, France, Greece, Germany, India, |
| paying attention right before the accident. | | | | Ireland, Hungary, Israel, Japan, Italy, |
| The most common cause of these distractions | | | | Kenya, Jordan, Malaysia, Norway, the |
| is cell phones. Drowsiness was the second | | | | Netherlands, Poland, the Philippines, |
| biggest distraction. Other distractions | | | | Romania, Portugal, Singapore, Russia, |
| include eating, talking, attending to | | | | Slovenia, the Slovak Republic, South Korea, |
| children and putting on makeup. People that | | | | South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, |
| talk on the phone and drive at the same time | | | | Taiwan, Turkmenistan, Turkey, the United |
| are four times more likely to get into an | | | | Kingdom, the Czech Republic and Zimbabwe. |
| accident that is bad enough to cause | | | | Most of these countries totally ban the use |
| injury.In another study, it was found that | | | | of cell phones while driving. In France, the |
| drivers who talked on hands-free phones were | | | | United Kingdom and the Netherlands drivers |
| slower to brake by 18% and took longer to get | | | | are allowed to use phones, but if they are in |
| their speed back after they braked. Also, | | | | an accident they will be fined.As more and |
| drivers on hands-free phones could not | | | | more places put bans on cell phones, drivers |
| remember seeing billboards, pedestrians, or | | | | need to be aware that they are a serious |
| other things by the road. So, just because | | | | danger to use while driving. If you must |
| the phone is hands-free, it still isn't safe | | | | make a call it is best if you pull off the |
| to use while driving. People using | | | | road and make your call from the side of the |
| hands-free cell phones still have to | | | | road. That will keep you and everyone around |
| concentrate on the conversation, which takes | | | | you safer. |