Editorial: Cellphone ban for drivers needed

Late last year, we said the tide in attitudes was shifting and a ban on cellphone use while driving may be in the best interest of all.

Fast forward to today, and the Illinois House has done just that — passing a law and sending it to the Senate that would ban talking on the phone while driving without a hands-free device.

It’s time for this type of law. We urge the Senate to pass it soon and Gov. Pat Quinn to sign it. The best scenario is for all states to pass one, but certainly we expect Illinois to continue to be a leader in this area. It may not go far enough, as studies have shown that even hands-free talking is a distraction.

But let’s keep moving in the right direction. It’s crucial that if we want to at least limit the most obvious distractions and to give law enforcement a tool for enforcing a ban on texting and talking, then all obvious use of a cellphone needs to be banned.

In Tuesday’s Daily Herald, transportation writer Marni Pyke reported on a new AAA study that says teenage girls are more likely to be distracted while driving than teenage boys. Girls are twice as likely to talk on cellphones or text while driving than boys, the study also shows.

In Illinois, cellphone use is banned for drivers 19 and under. But children learn their behavior from their parents. As Pyke’s story said, experts advise parents to practice what they preach to their kids.

“Parents of teenagers need to serve as good role models,” said AAA spokeswoman Beth Mosher.

We think they need help. And a law gives all adults something to think about when they pick up that phone to make a call or try to text without being noticed.

And while attitudes are shifting, there’s no guarantee that politicians will do what’s right. The House vote was 62-53. It would extend the ban on cellphone use to all areas — currently it’s banned in a work zone or school zone. Texting is prohibited on all roads. But police say it’s hard to know if a driver is using the phone to call someone or to text. So enforcement is lacking.

The Daily Herald reviewed more than 41,000 suburban traffic citations last year, and fewer than 1 percent were for texting while driving. Studies show that drivers are texting much more than that.

Some legislators say they voted against this ban because there are so many other driver distractions, so why pick on cellphones?

National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Deborah Hersman agreed that there are other distractions, but she said Tuesday the agency is focusing on this particular problem because they have been investigating an increasing number of significant accidents involving cellphones and other technologies. The NTSB has called for a ban on all electronic device use by drivers.

Certainly, all distractions are a problem. But we believe Illinois should continue to strengthen its laws to make driving safer for all. Please let your legislators know that you support this bill.