NSC wants total ban on mobile cellphone use

America's National Safety Council is calling for a total nationwide driver ban on the use of cell phones including hands-free devices.

Amateur Radio Newsline's Don Carlson, KQ6FM, reports:

In an announcement on Monday, January 12th, the National Safety Council not only issued a plea directly to motorists to stop using the devices, but also urged businesses to enact policies limiting the use of cell phones by their employees.

The Congressionally-chartered agency also called on states to pass more laws banning the use of wireless communications devices while driving.

California, Washington state, Alaska, the District of Columbia, Louisiana, Minnesota, and New Jersey all have laws on the books that ban the use of a mobile phone without a hands-free device. But the Councils proposal wants to eliminate even these hands-free exemptions.

The National Safety Council news release does not mention Ham radio, C-B radio or any other two-way radio based application other than cellphones and text messaging.

However in mustering support for its campaign, the
organization cites numerous studies including one by the Harvard Center of Risk Analysis. That one found that driver use of cell phones contributes to 636,000 crashes each year. This it says leads to 12,000 serious injuries and 2,600 annual deaths.

Don Carlson, KQ6FM
Amateur Radio Newsline

Needless to say, all two way mobile radio users, including radio hams, will have to watch carefully for any state or federal laws that might develop out of the National Safety Council total cellphone ban request.

Source: ARNewsline