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Congress Could Ban Cell Phone Use While Driving



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May 29, 2001, By Andrew Noel

Citing increased safety concerns, U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY) and Senator John Corzine (D-NJ) announced the introduction of unprecedented legislation in the House and Senate to ban the use of cell phones while driving.

Under Ackerman?s measure, entitled CRASH (the Call responsibility and Stay Healthy Act), drivers are permitted to use their cell phones provided that their vehicles are equipped with devices like an earpiece or a speaker phone, leaving the driver?s hands free. Calls would have to be placed or answered by voice activation or while the driver was stopped or pulled over.

The bill allows an exemption for emergency calls. Congressman Ackerman noted that most hands free devices are inexpensive, starting at about twenty dollars. Senator Corzine?s bill leaves the hands free decision up to the states if they determine that such use does not pose a threat to public safety. Differences between the two bills would be hammered out in conference committee.

Both bills also allow each state to impose their own system of penalties whether they be fines or points on the driver?s license. States that fail to implement the ban would lose their portion of federal highway funds.

The proposed law is patterned after similar measures pending in 40 states. In addition, about a dozen municipalities have their own cell phone laws including several in New York and New Jersey.

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