Anger has been spreading among motorists during the past week because of a proposed piece of state legislation aimed at banning hand-held cellular telephone use while driving.
The state Legislature decided to add a clarification of what contributes to careless driving to the proposed cell phone law. In the clarification, the offense of careless driving includes eating, drinking, applying makeup, attending to a pet, reading, and fiddling with a radio or CD player while driving.
Contrary to popular opinion, the proposed legislation does not ban motorists from listening to music, eating, giving their dog a pat on the head or grooming while behind the wheel. It only states that drivers who drive carelessly while doing those things will be subject to being stopped by police.
It’s understandable that some motorists are tired of legislators continually passing restrictive laws, but anyone who has been on the roads in this state has seen drivers on hand-held cell phones drive carelessly, threatening other motorists’ safety.
A statewide hand-held cell phone ban is needed, despite state Sen. John O. Bennett’s objection to the law. Bennett said he doesn’t think legislating human behavior works. Well, if that’s the case, there shouldn’t be any laws whatsoever.
Most laws are created solely to legislate human behavior. Laws against criminal acts are made to deter people from committing crimes in the first place. That’s the same as legislating behavior.
Stiff jail sentences were also created to prevent individuals from committing crimes. A potential criminal may think twice before breaking a law if getting caught means serving time in jail.
The proposed hand-held cell phone may change the behavior of some motorists who jeopardize their own, as well as other drivers’, safety while talking on a hand-held cell phone.
To get around the law, all motorists have to do is buy an earpiece or any device that will allow the phone to be used hands-free.
Cell phone earpieces cost about $20 and are well worth the investment.