Cell phone use while driving is one of those hot-button issues at the moment. Everyone has a cell phone. When it goes off while they are driving whether it is a message, social media or a phone call, curiosity seems to get the best of them and they feel as if they have to look now. Using cell phones while driving should be banned completely for the safety of everyone on the road. It does not matter how good you are at multitasking, it should be forbidden and against the law entirely. Here are just a few reasons for that.

Let's start with texts, social media and any other written phone alert. To stop and read this message or update you would have to take your eyes off of the road for longer than the recommended time of the one second, it takes to check the rearview mirror. It is extremely dangerous to type or read while driving. It is a hazard to everyone on the road, so it is not just your own life you are risking.

As for making phone calls, this too should be banned. I do understand that sometimes your spouse may call needing you to stop somewhere on the way home, or you think it may be an emergency. If that is the case, then pull over to the side of the road, take the call, and then return to driving. If the call can wait, return it later. If it can't wait, you can always stop briefly. There should be no reason to pick up your phone while driving your car.

Even hands-free devices that allow us to talk on the phone while driving with both hands on the wheel are still a hazard. Studies have shown that while talking to someone on the phone your brain is putting a; lot of its energy into the conversation. This means that less of your brain is focused on driving the car. Yes, that could also mean a conversation with someone in the car is dangerous but you add in bad reception, how uncomfortable the hands-free earpieces are to wear and the annoyance of static or wind and you have a worse distraction.

Whatever it is can almost always wait until you get where you are going. If it can't wait, you can always stop to look. Cell phone use should be banned for the safety of everyone on the roads. It may not be as convenient, but we won't lose nearly as many teenage lives to Tweets or texts if they know their license could be taken if they do look.