Doing more than one thing at a time is called multitasking. Chewing gum and walking down a sidewalk, or driving a car while talking on your cell phone are some examples.
Some people can do it, others can't. The state of Michigan may punish the latter ones, the chaotic cellular commuters, and it's about time they do.
Lawmakers are considering a bill that would add one point to a person's driver's license if a citation indicated the use of a cell phone contributed to a traffic violation, according to The Associated Press. Only New York bans the use of handheld cell phones while driving, though 41 other states are considering cell phone regulation bills.
Last year, 870 car crashes in the state involved cell phones, according to the Michigan State Police.
Aside from emergencies, cell phone use in the car is unnecessary. Drivers cant wait five minutes to get to their destination before they have to call up their friends to chat. If a driver is lost, it would seem more logical to pull over, get directions and use the phone if necessary, rather than keep on driving and talking while possibly getting more lost at the same time.
Driving a car requires a person to pay attention to a number of factors - the person on the other end of the line shouldn't be one of them. Among listening to the radio, eating food and applying makeup, drivers face enough distractions while on the road.
Too often motorists have neglected other cars on the road, paying attention to their cell phone instead of merging traffic, busy intersections or children playing in the street.
If a driver is busy on the phone with a life or death emergency, they should concern themselves with getting to their destination rather than putting others around them in danger.
Cell phone usage while in the car doesn't need to be completely banned, but some kind of restriction and enforcement is necessary. The bill, if it passes, would encourage people not to use a cell phone while driving.
Though the accident itself should wake people to the fact that they shouldn't drive while talking on their cell phone, the law will reenforce that idea, and might even cause some drivers to stop cell phone chatting before they get into an accident.
