Cheryl Horsey of Norristown, Pa., talks on her cell phone. Dozens of proposals to restirct phone use in cars have been submitted to state legislatures this year. Despite a huge number of proposals to restrict or ban talking on a cell phone while driving, no state has approved such a bill. At least 10 local jurisdictions, including Suffolk County, N.Y., and Brooklyn, Ohio, have passed bans on hand-held cell phones in vehicles. Lawmakers have introduced 89 bills in 38 states this year.
Prospects are dim for many others, experts say.
A dearth of statistics proving cell phones cause crashes. A strong effort against the bills by the wireless industry. A public that likes driving and talking. In Tennessee, a bill to regulate cell phone use by teenagers made it to the House floor. But cell phone provider Leap Wireless International persuaded legislators to abandon the effort by pointing to the lack of hard data.