Several states have made it illegal to talk on a cell phone while driving. Washington state was one of the more recent to do that.

In the article I read about that, it stated that in 2007, there were 141,000 collisions in Washington state and that 158 of them were attributed to hand-held devices. This would include cell phones, iPods, calculators and their ilk.

Let’s err on the side of caution and make two assumptions. First, that all the “hand held” devices were cell phones and second that the incident rate was under reported by a factor of 10. That would mean that 1,580 of the accidents were caused by cell phone use.

Considering that there were 141,000 collisions, that would mean that about one collision in 89 could be attributed to cell phone use. That is only a little more than 1 percent.

When we see someone driving dangerously and we note that the driver is using a cell phone, we are inclined to blame the cell phone. But the fact is, that driver would probably be careless regardless of the cell phone.

There is considerable benefit to be had from cell phone use while driving. Appointments can be scheduled, canceled or revised. Shopping lists can be updated. Directions can be received or sent. Worried spouses and parents can be advised of the whereabouts of children and loved ones.

I would assert that the economic benefit of cell phone use while driving outweighs the cost of the consequential damage.

But what about lives, you ask? Isn’t it worth banning cell phone use while driving just to save even one life? The answer is that society places a limited value on human lie. If it did not then it would make even more sense to ban driving altogether. But no one is seriously proposing that.

What is my point? That cell phone use while driving should be legal. In any case, it would make far more sense if laws regarding cell phone use while driving were uniform across the country.

Justin Skywatcher

Milledgeville