The Auto Writer

State legislators concerned about distracted driving continue to pass laws against driver cell phone use when operating a motor vehicle. As of April 2010, 33 states and the District of Columbia have some sort of laws on their books limiting cell phone use and driving, with Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas recently amending or passing new laws restricting these practices.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, an independent, educational organization funded by auto insurers, states are regulating four areas of cell phone usage: an outright hand-held ban, restrictions on younger drivers, banning cell phone use by bus drivers and a texting ban.

Law Enforcement

Enforcement varies with most states allowing drivers to be pulled if they are caught driving and talking on their phones while some states make it a secondary check once some other infraction has been observed.

Only seven states ban cell phone use while driving for all drivers: Washington, Oregon, California, Utah, New Jersey, New York and Connecticut. Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Illinois have partial bans covering usage in school and/or construction zones or for drivers between 18 and 21. Many states restrict cell phone use for their youngest drivers completely, but perhaps most surprising is that 19 states still have no restrictions on texting while driving.

Oprah Winfrey

The move to ban texting while driving appears to be gaining steam with talk show diva, Oprah Winfrey, advocating for tougher laws. April 30 is national “No Phone Zone Day,” an initiative being pushed by Winfrey stemming from a January 2010 show where she addressed the issue of texting while driving.

On that show Winfrey asked viewers to pledge not to text while driving, filling her audience with people wearing colorful t-shirts announcing on the front, “I took the pledge, will YOU…?” with a statement on the back proclaiming, “Don’t tempt F8, that txt can W8.”

Winfrey said that texting while driving is dangerous, noting that some experts have said it offers similar distraction to drivers as does consuming four servings of alcoholic beverages. Winfrey referenced a federal study which reveals that more than 6000 driving deaths annually can be attributed to distracted driving including cell phone usage.

Live Audiences

Winfrey will be dedicating her show on April 30 to addressing the issue of distracted driving with cuts to live audiences in Los Angeles, Atlanta, New York, Detroit and Washington, DC planned. Attendees, many of whom have been victimized by distracted driving, will be interviewed with some possibly appearing on the show.

Said Winfrey, “A call or text isn’t worth taking a life. We must not allow more mothers and fathers, daughters and sons, sisters and brothers to die before we take action against distracted driving. Let’s put a stop to it now, by joining together on April 30 for national ‘No Phone Zone Day’, and by making our cars a ‘No Phone Zone.”