Feds Seek Cell Ban Behind the Wheel
Citing accident and injury stats, the National Transportation Safety Board has recommended a nationwide ban on the use of communications devices while driving. Larry Greenemeier reports
SUBSCRIBE TO 60-Second Tech
The National Transportation Safety Board has called for a nationwide ban on the use of all portable electronic devices by drivers, except in an emergency. That means no more phone calls or texting from behind the wheel. It would also ban drivers from using iPods or GPS units not integrated into a car's controls.
The NTSB is serious and is backing up its proposal with statistics.
Drivers using cell phones fail to take in half of what's going on around them while they drive, according to the National Safety Council. And research in the The New England Journal of Medicine found a person using a cell-phone when driving is four times more likely to crash and end up in the hospital.
On supporting science journalism
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
Distracted driving was the cause of more than 3,000 deaths in 2010. One of many examples the NTSB cites is an August 2010 pileup in Gray Summit, Missouri. An investigation showed the driver of a GMC pickup was texting just before the accident, which involved two school buses and killed two people.
Next we’ll see if these recommendations get any traction with lawmakers.
—Larry Greenemeier
[The above text is a transcript of this podcast.]
It’s Time to Stand Up for Science
If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.
I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.
If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.
In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.
There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.
