Surprise, surprise, teens aren't paying any attention to laws barring them from using cellphones while driving. According to a survey released Monday, in fact, cellphone usage actually went up slightly after North Carolina enacted such a law in 2006. In the months leading up to the ban, researchers observed eleven percent of teen drivers using their cellphones as they left school. Five months later, the number was almost twelve percent."Cellphone bans for teen drivers are difficult to enforce," says Anne McCartt, senior vice president for research with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety who conducted the survey. "Drivers with phones to their ears aren't hard to spot, but it's nearly impossible for police officers to see hands-free devices or correctly guess how old drivers are."
There needs to be a better way to enforce these bans or else they really don't do much good. I'm not sure what the answer is. We've got a similar law taking effect next month and I suspect kids will ignore it and keep on talking and texting while they drive.
1. Why is the ban for teens only? It's dangerous for anybody to talk on a cell while driving - or worse yet, to text/email while driving. So many times when I get cut-off or nearly sideswiped I look over to see the person talking away on their phone and totally oblivious to the three-car pile-up that almost happened. And it's not usually a teenager behind the wheel!
Carolyn
http://www.momsontheedge.ca
Posted at 6:52PM on Jun 11th 2008 by Carolyn