Phones might be getting smarter, but the same cannot necessarily be said for its users. According to a study by the U.S. Department of Transportation, 5,474 people were killed in car accidents related to cell phone use in 2009 alone. The same study shows that 448,000 people were also injured during that same year. In response to the overwhelming evidence that cell phones lead to more distracted drivers and more car accidents, Chrysler has voiced its support for the Safe Drivers Act of 2011. If the law passes, drivers would be prohibited from using their cell phones and other mobile devices, and the federal government will have to determine in the following two years if hand-free cell phones are also too distracting to drivers. It should be noted that there is an exception written into the bill that drivers can use their cell phone in certain emergencies.
Maybe I am biased having grown up with a hand-me-down car that we affectionately named “The Ghettomobile,” but I think it makes perfect sense for car companies and consumers to back the Safe Drivers Act of 2011. If I had a nice car that I worked very hard to pay for, I wouldn't want other drivers putting my safety and my new car at risk by texting while they are driving. The Safe Drivers Act of 2011 is common sense, and several states have already put similar laws in place. This is where the country is heading, and it makes sense to go ahead and make it a federal law.
Consumers, if you want to support the Safe Drivers Act of 2011, contact your elected representatives and tell them to support this important legislation. You can also read the bill in its entirety here.
Picture via Hoax-Slayer
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