Survey results of Banning Under Age 18 from using wireless phones

[David Lifferth]

This is a discussion and results of HB103:Should people under the age of 18 be banned from using wireless phones while driving.  These are the Final results:

[David Lifferth]

Comments to the survey:

• should be equally applied to all no matter what age. Add as a poll answer

• Yes, at face value.

• all people should be included in the ban

[David Lifferth]

Dave,

I tried to leave the following comment on your blog under the poll on teens and cell phones, but the blog would not allow me to see the whole comment area including the button to post the comment.  The bottom banner was in the way.  It may be a problem because I am on my iPad and not a regular computer.  Anyway, feel free to post this on your blog.

Thanks,
Shellie 

I believe HB 103 is another unnecessary and even bad bill. The problem is already addressed with other laws.  The actual problem is distracted driving and the accidents that can result.  Why do we want to increase the number of laws that take away people's freedom? Some teens will get distracted and make bad choices while on the phone. Some adults do this as well.  Let the consequences follow under the laws that already exist.  Are we also going to ban, eating, putting on make-up, listening to music, talking to passengers, and looking at scenery while driving?  Let parents do the job of teaching their kids and setting rules.  

This is a bad bill for another reason.  If you're going to ban teens 16-17 from using phones while driving? Why would you ONLY ban it on Utah highways?  Most of the roads that teens drive on are not highways, they are regular streets in cities and towns. (Unless you live in a city like Saratoga Springs, where Redwood Rd (SR-68) is the only travel path through parts town.) So this bill would not even address the bulk of their driving time. 

"S" from Saratoga Springs

[David Lifferth]

Subject: Re: HB103:Should people under age 18 be banned from using wireless phones while driving?
>
>There is already a law that covers that, its called inattentive driving! Wow, I think the legislature is worried about there job security, if they don't have any "bills to vote on" they can't justify their existance. Or their paychecks!
>
>Just keep taking away our freedoms with every stupid law passed.
>
>The zero fatalities movement already teaches this, a law will not curb it any better than the law that already exists.
>
>Thank you for your update!

"T" from Eagle Mountain

[David Lifferth]

RE: HB103:Should people under age 18 be banned from using wireless phones while driving?

 

Yes, I think this is a good idea.  We already limit driving with non-family for 6 months, and night driving for 6 months, and allow driving with parents only for a year – all these things are designed to allow new drivers to gradually take on more difficult situations.  Telling them not to use a cell phone and drive is very much like this – just another way to allow them to gradually and safely develop skills before taking too much on.

"B" from Eagle Mountain

[David Lifferth]

Re: HB103:Should people under age 18 be banned from using wireless phones while driving?

I think everyone should be banned from using cell phones while driving a car. I think anytime someone is involved in an accident that we should be allowed to check their cell phone record and if they were on the phone they should be given a fine. If you watch people, not just teenagers, while they are driving and using a smart phone you will see they consistently drift into the bike lanes. It is my biggest worry as a cyclist that some idiot using their phone will drift into a cyclist and kill them.

Thanks
"D" from Eagle Mountain

[David Lifferth]

From a pure police officer stand point, we would have to erect signage to alert out of state drivers, the exceptions make enforcement very hard unless you get a warrant to determine who they were calling.  Thus was the same objection I had before when it was introduced.  For emergency use, proceed to a safe place and stop the car, the same for the other exceptions.  If a person is issued a citation and they were intact on the line with 911 that is easy to check, or they can submit a call record to prove they were on for an emergency, this costs the State nothing, so if rewritten just prohibit the use while driving, but take into consideration use under special reasons.  Money will have to be allocated for signing or the court will throw it out.  It should be a primary offense.  I just fear the way it is written it will be a nightmare to enforce.

"A" from Eagle Mountain

[David Lifferth]

More comments from survey participants:

• 21. Need more driving experience
• All drivers should be banned from using mobile phones while driving.

[David Lifferth]

There had been a typo in the original blog post. Thanks to Mike McGrath for pointing that out. It has now been corrected.