Prevention of Drivers Using Mobile Devices While Driving- International Imput

To: U.S. Congress, United States Conference of Mayors

On November 23, 2005, Jim Price, of Littleton, CO was riding his bike in the bike lane in Colorado. While riding, a 17-year-old who was text messaging on his cell phone struck Jim, seriously injuring him. Later that evening, Jim died from his injuries.







Incredibly, the District Attorney only charged the 17-year-old with a misdemeanor. As a result of this careless, thoughtless 17-year-old's actions, a man is dead, and he will only receive a MAXIMUM of a year in jail. We find this to be outrageous and sickening.







The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released a study as early as 1997 talking about the dangers of cell phone use in automobiles: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/research/wireless/. The National Conference of State Legislators released an updated report in 2003 demonstrating the dangers of cell phone use and automobile accidents: http://www.ncsl.org/programs/transportation/cellphoneupdate1203.htm. Even the New England Journal of Medicine warned of the dangers of deaths caused by drivers in their automobiles when driving in 1997: http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/336/7/453. There are many other studies concluding the dangers of cell phone use by drivers while driving their automobiles: http://web.pdx.edu/~chong/bs/cellphoneban.pdf#search='cell\%20phone\%20accident\%20statistics'







Despite this, cell phone use in cars remains at an all time high. And deaths occur more frequently and are on the rise. Our friend, Jim Price, was a valuable member of the cycling community, and his death was needless, preventable, and unnecessary. We demand that lawmakers immediately pass comprehensive legislation banning the use of cell phones by drivers, and cell phone related activities, such as text messaging, in cars, except in the case of emergency. Cell phones are a distraction to the driver, and because of this distraction, an epidemic of deaths result, and this epidemic is largely going ignored. We no longer accept this dangerous practice while friends and family are killed or injured as the result of distractions in the car. Lawmakers need to address this now.







What we would like are:







1) Ban the use of all cell phone and cell phone and mobile devices in cars by drivers, except in the case of emergency







2) Strict enforcement by police with regulating cell phone and mobile device use by drivers







3) Stiff penalties for any drivers caught using cell phone and/or mobile devices in cars while driving







4) Drivers who maim or kill victims they've hit while using cell phone and/or mobile devices when driving should receive, at the very least, a felony charge and seen as a criminal offense.







A simple legislation banning the use of cell phones and cell phone related devices in cars by drivers will save thousands of lives, and there will be no more Jim Prices out there out for a peaceful bike ride, killed by drivers distracted by their mobile devices. We want immediate action- this is the simplest and most effective means to save thousands of lives. Many European countries already ban such devices being used by drivers. We ask that your country follow and do the same.