New CHP Laws Govern Cell Phone Use While Driving

Hey "Realtor Adam",

     This is good law.  It makes good sense.  Although my kids (20 and 14) don't think so, my wife and I, spend thousands of hours on the road each year as mobile notary signing agents and know all too well about distracted, unthinking, unfocussed drivers on cell phones.  While we make our living both on the road and on the phone, people need to be retrained on priorities and learn that when driving 1-2 tons of automobile, you have a tremendous responsibility in your hands.  What is it? It's the lives of everyone within a 1/4 mile of you when you are hurtling down the road at 65mph or better...

     Now if we could just get people to stop doing crossword puzzles and putting on make-up, we'd be all set!

"Notary Shannon"

"A Quick Note"

www.aquicknote.net  

Thanks for the reminder. Hopefully, it will help.  The articles that I've read though say that the problem isn't that people are holding the phone, but the part of the brain that should be watching the road is also used in conversing skills. 

That seems reasonable. I find myself checking messages while driving and this is dangerous.

Your Friend in Charlottesville Virginia!

The new law should help.  But, as Peter said, when you are talking on a cell phone, the brain is focused elsewhere besides driving.

I'll admit, if I am talking on the cell phone, I barely remember seeing the landmarks I just drove by, because my brain was focused on the conversation!  Kind of scary!

Silliness. This law is based on absolutely no research.

In fact, research shows that having a hands-free does absolutely nothing to diminish the danger. Driving while talking on the cell phone is apparently worse than driving under the influence.

I should know. I'm texting this from my Palm Treo and almost hit someone.

Okay, that last part isn't true!

Thanks Adam, I knew that this law was coming into effect soon but I couldn't remember when.

Cellphones are one distraction - as is putting on makeup or reading a book - but look what a distraction children and pets often are! Will we someday have drivers partitioned off from the other riders like some bus drivers?