Group Wants All Drivers To Put Away That Cell Phone

A national safety group is asking motorists shut up while driving, seeking a nationwide ban on cell phone use—handheld or hands free—while behind the wheel.

The National Safety Council (NSC) on Monday called on motorists to stop using cell phones, messaging devices and hands-free devices while driving. The group also hopes to persuade businesses to enact policies prohibiting employees from talking while driving and governors and legislators in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., to pass laws banning the behavior.

Some states, like California, New York and Utah, are already ahead of the curve and in past years have banned the practice of chatting while driving, though those states allow hands-free devices.

"Studies show that driving while talking on a cell phone is extremely dangerous and puts drivers at a four times greater risk of a crash," said NSC CEO Janet Froetscher in a statement. "Driving drunk is also dangerous and against the law. When our friends have been drinking, we take the car keys away. It's time to take the cell phone away."

According to a recent study from the Harvard Center of Risk Analysis, cell phone use while driving contributes to about 6 percent of crashes, which equals 636,000 crashes, 330,000 injuries, 12,000 serious injuries and 2,600 deaths annually. The same study also tabulated that the financial toll of cell-phone related crashes is $43 billion.

The NSC contends that hands-free devices won't quell the problem, citing a University of Utah study that found driving with a hands-free device does little to boost safety.

"When you're on a call, even if both hands are on the wheel, your head is in the call, and not on your driving," Froetscher said.

The NSC is sending letters this week to all state governors and legislative leaders, encouraging them to adopt statewide bans on cell phones, text messaging and hands-free devices while driving. The three-fold approach will focus on advocating legislation; educating the public and businesses about the risk of cell phone use while driving; and supplementing distracted driving content in its training of 1.5 million people annually in defensive driving.

The NSC notes that its agenda could take several years to come to fruition.

"The change we are looking for, to stop cell phone use while driving, won't happen overnight. There will be a day, however, when we look back and wonder how we could have been so reckless with our cell phones and texting devices," Froetscher said.