The debate to ban handheld cell phones was spawned in New York when state Assemblyman Felix Ortiz witnessed a crash involving a driver using a cell phone (Verhovek). Mr. Ortiz instantly sponsored a bill banning the use of cell phones while driving. In November 2001, the bill became law and New York was the first state to enact such a ban. Under this legislation, drivers are only permitted to use phones equipped with a hands-free device, such as a headset

Still, lawmakers have allowed the use of hands-free phones, believing that the extra concentration needed to manipulate the hand-held phone is responsible for most accidents. A recent study by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents in United Kingdom proves just why they might be wrong (Vallese). Researchers thoroughly examined how subjects adjusted their driving to road conditions when using both hand-held and hands-free mobile phones. As expected, drivers talking on the phone did not perform as well as those who weren't distracted by phone calls. However, the drop in performance did not seem to be affected by the use of hand-held in comparison with hands-free phones. On the contrary, even after hanging up the phone, the driver’s performances did not return to normal for several minutes. The study shows that distractions correspond to the degree to which a driver becomes involved in the conversation, and not the phone itself. Hence, there is no difference between using a hand-held or hands-free phone—they are both just as distracting. Instead, the nature and length of the conversation are much critical factors that divert the attention of the driver. As the talk gets personal and continues for exceeding periods of time, chances of being sidetracked are highest.

If an individual is deciding whether to use a cell phone while driving, he has many options to consider. First, he needs to consider the nature and length of the conversation. If it is a personal or business call requiring critical thinking, jotting down information, making decisions, then he is very likely to get distracted. Next is the length of the call—if he is going to be talking for hours on the highway, chances are he is more than likely to lose attention on the road. Lastly, he needs to evaluate his experience as a driver. If he can balance two tasks at once, and perform them fairly well, then he shouldn’t have a problem using a cell phone. As stated earlier, hands-free phones are no safer than hand-held units, so either should suffice. To enhance hands-free units, some wireless service providers recently introduced voice-activated dialing as an added benefit. This feature solves the dilemma of fumbling with keypads to find and dial phone numbers. By recognition of voice, it automatically dials stored phone numbers, allowing drivers to keep their eyes on the road. Hence, I would recommend drivers to use phones with the new feature installed, as it saves the hassle of dialing the number.

In my opinion, whenever you're driving a vehicle and your attention is not on the road, you're putting yourself and the oncoming traffic in danger. Tom Wheeler, President and CEO of the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association agrees: “Any activity a driver engages in, besides the task of dri

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