Ugh… If there’s one thing that I hate it’s when I see data manipulated in a manner such that it can confuse the masses. To this end, a few months ago an article was published on the My FOX NY website that was titled, “NJ: Ban on Cell Phones While Driving Works.” Since the article is short, I’m reposting the entire thing here for you to read before I tear into it.
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Ban Idiots, Not Cell Phone Users
At some point in the first few weeks of January I bookmarked an article on FOXNews.com that bothered me for a few reasons. The article, “Ban Cell Phones While Driving, Safety Council Says,” talks about how the congressionally chartered National Safety Council wants to ban cell phone usage from all drivers while they are driving. I’m sorry, but this is just ridiculous.
I was (and still am) annoyed that we can no longer just put the phone to our ear while driving in New Jersey, but I started using a headset. By the way, the reason why I’m still annoyed by this stupid, overreaching law is because almost every police officer I drive by on the road has a phone jammed into his ear, but the “do as I say, not as I do” thing is topic for a different entry.
Like many other drivers in New Jersey, I started using a headset and driving with the headset on isn’t that bad! However, the Safety Council suggests the following:
Froetscher said the council examined more than 50 scientific studies before reaching its decision. One was a study by the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis that estimates 6 percent of vehicle crashes, causing about 2,600 deaths and 12,000 serious injuries a year, are attributable to cell phone use. Hands-free cell phones are just as risky as hand held phones, she added.
I’m sorry, but there have got to be additional reasons for these accidents. An it’s time that Americans stop refraining from telling the truth – sometimes you get really, really stupid people behind the wheel of a car and their own stupidity is part of the reason why they get into accidents. If you’re drinking a cup of coffee, flipping through the newspaper, and talking on a cell phone all at the same time, then guess what? You should be focusing on driving! If you’re a young driver who is skittish on the road as it is, then guess what? You shouldn’t be on a cell phone! If you have problems focusing on one or two issues at a time, then guess what? You shouldn’t be on a cell phone!
In the mean time, those people who have mastered multitasking and understand that even if you can manage to do five things at once, YOU SHOULDN’T may eventually be stuck with the inability to use their cell phones while driving. It’s ridiculous that we legislate to the least among us as opposed to asking for some personal responsibility from all among us.
