Just a few seconds of distraction while talking on a cell phone can mean the difference between safety and peril, between life and death. We must act to make our roads safer and this legislation goes a long way towards achieving this goal. States that fail to implement the ban would lose their portion federal highway funds. A growing distraction Ackerman said between 20 and 30 percent of all accidents are caused by distractions, amounting to about 4,600 accidents a day. He believes a growing part of that 4,600 is due to the proliferation of cell phones.
Cell phones are a very recent phenomena.
There are currently 103 million people with cell phones, and that number is growing each year. The proposed legislation is modeled after similar measures pending in 40 states, the two congressmen said. Most Americans seem to agree. Seven in 10 support a ban on use of handheld cell phones while driving, according to an ABC News poll conducted May 16-May 20. The same number said the opposite about bans on use of cell phones that leave a driver's hands free.