We killed 150 people with Firestone tires, and the response was the same. Both airbags and tires are essential parts of the driving environement. Pennsylvania police are not required to note whether a driver involved in an accident had been on the phone, so statistics linking crashes to phones are hard to come by. Only Oklahoma and Minnesota record that information, but experts say those states' data-collection methods are dated and unreliable. In November, Japan became one of 14 countries banning handheld phone use while driving.
Cellular telephones are important devices for reporting emergencies.
This is absolutely true, and the law enforcement community supports such use. But emergency calls can and should be made from stopped vehicles. Indeed, most calls relate to witnessing a crash. Under such circumstances, traffic is often stopped, and witnesses attempt to render aid. The cellular telephone industry often demonstrates their commitment to promoting safety for their customers through the use of information packets included with product purchases or customer billing, and through the occasional television ad.