I can’t stand people who talk on their phones, text and frig around in their car while driving. I can’t even count the number of times I have almost gone over the hood of someone’s car while biking, only to see that the person was talking on the phone and too distracted to check his or her mirrors while turning right at an intersection. The new Ontario law against using electronic devices while operating a vehicle is a step in the right direction to decreasing distracted – and dangerous – drivers.
It’s amazing so many people will choose to put themselves and everyone else on the road at risk just because they cannot be bothered to be more organized (get up with time to eat breakfast at home), or, God forbid, detach their cell phone from their hand during the 20-minute drive to work or school.
Don’t touch your phone while driving. Why is that so damn hard?
No one will die if you don’t answer your phone, but you might just kill someone because you don’t have the attention span to focus on driving.
If you are going to drive, then drive.
Last week’s opinion piece claimed that the new law is redundant based on current rules against reckless driving. However, I would disagree.
Drunk driving has long been recognized as a significant problem. There has been legislation in place against impaired driving since 1921. In this way, strict laws have specifically focused on drunk driving, outside of reckless driving.
Similarly, cell phones result in the cognitive impairment of the driver, which some studies indicate to be similar to the effects of alcohol. Therefore, cell phone use can and should be treated in similar ways to drunk driving, with targeted legislation that deals specifically with this problem.
Numerous scientific reports have shown evidence of this.
In 2006, psychologists from the University of Utah released study results that cell phone users, and even hands-free phone users, were shown to have similar reaction times as those under the influence of alcohol.
At Carleton’s Human Oriented Technology (HOT) lab, researchers have independently shown that distractions in cars result in a 30 per cent slower response time.
For those who have the opinion that this law will not deter you from reducing your distractions because the law is only specifically interested in cell phones, hand-held entertainment devices, television screens, and devices of that nature, I say that the government is not interested in babying you. If you cannot get your shit together, and feel that it is necessary to eat, read, or what have you, while driving, then you should not complain that the law is ineffective; it is you that is ineffective.
You are the one creating more risks than there should be on the road.
The reduction of cell phone use is a way to limit the amount of distracted drivers on the road. It is not simply a matter of your hands being on the wheel; it is a matter of your mind being on the road.
The law should be viewed as a wake up call.
If the government has seen that this is an issue that concerns all people in Ontario, then it should be seen as such.
Cell phones distract drivers, and affect everyone on the road.
The $500 fine may seem small in comparison to other fines, such as reckless driving, which carries a $1,000 fine and demerit points. However, this is not the important issue. It is a matter of people taking an attitude that is beneficial to all drivers.
While this law does not deal with all distractions – including those that come with hands-free phones – it’s one baby step in the right direction.