Cell Phone Bans – Don’t Talk & Drive!

Joining two other states, the District of Columbia has decided to ban the use of handheld cell phones while driving. With cell phone bans effective July, 2004, one has to wonder how the ban will affect a city of high-powered people who rely on the wireless phone to stay connected? Similar cell phone bans have also gone into effect in the State of New Jersey.

The new DC cellular telephone ban prohibits drivers from holding a cell phone while operating a motor vehicle.

Drivers violating cell phone bans in DC will be fined $100 for each offense. If caught, police have the right to pull them over and cite them for holding a phone while driving.

Supporters of cell phone bans note that even in a city like Washington DC, people should be able to get along just fine without using handheld phones while driving. Hands-free headsets and earpieces are not covered by this ban.

New York was the first state to issue a cell phone ban in 2001 and since then, law enforcement officials have handed out over 270,000 tickets for cellular phone violations. One study has shown that the New York law initially curbed the use of handheld cell phones by drivers, but now numbers are beginning to rise.

Also see; cell phone law.

Author Notes:

Jack Adams contributes and publishes news editorial to http://www.cell-phones-n-plans.com. A cellular phone industry resource that features service plan comparisons, cellular phone reviews and articles.