And You Thought Common Sense Had Returned…

March 19th, 2008 by Kenneth Burns

As a former traffic reporter, I can tell you in the three years of covering traffic in Greater Washington, I have seen people do some stupid stuff behind the wheel.  From reading a newspaper or a book to grooming themselves, it amazes me what some drivers do on the interstate.

Talking on a hand-held cell phone does not seem as dangerous as it sounds, but in fact I have seen drivers impaired by doing such a practice.  They are not paying as much attention to the road and they slowdown, affecting the flow of traffic…regardless of age.

It is baffling to me that the General Assembly is taking a “do as we say, not as we do” mentality when it comes to banning talking on a phone without a hands-free device.  Keep in mind when a rash of teen driving accidents occurred a couple of years ago, one of the laws that was passed in hopes of curbing the problem was prohibiting teens from driving while talking on a cell phone, regardless of if they had hands free device or not.  Now it’s 2008 and the adults in the house and the senate deciding whether they want to lead by example or take the ever popular “do as I say” mentality.

This bill to ban hand held cell phone conversations was near death, watered down to only prohibit text messaging while driving.  The Senate did have a change of heart, but for only two years.  That’s right, the measure, assuming it would survive the House of Delegates, would only allow the ban for two years, and then it would need another approval to continue the ban.

Just to illustrate how out of touch the General Assembly is on this one, State Sen. John Astle (D-Dist. 30) proposed an amendment to ban the use of GPS units, telling The Capital that there are other things he thinks are more insidious.  I believe Mr. Astle is a fan of map books, because that would be the only way NOT to get lost in Maryland, had the amendment garnered the support needed to pass.  Oh yes, thumbing through a book is less distracting than something electronic telling you when to turn right…are you kidding me?

Driving while talking on a hand-held cell phone is dangerous not only to the person driving, but to the people around that driver.  I cannot believe that the Senators took their time in approving the ban, and the Delegates are looking to kill it…again.  Just because a driver is over the age of 18 does not make them able to drive with a hand-held cell phone.  This practice should be banned out right and without a time limit.

For the house not to pass this bill and remove the two year time limit, is hypocritical, in addition to being a double standard.  It’s saying that teens are distracted while talking on a cell phone, but adults are not because we’ve been around longer and we have more experience.  In three years of covering traffic, I can say with confidence that “no we don’t.”

You can be the most experienced driver in the world, however when you are distracted, no amount of knowledge in the world can save you from being put in a compromising position while driving.  It’s time for the adults in Annapolis to lead by example and ban text messaging and talking on hand-held cell phones while driving.

Oh, and if anyone in the house is thinking about trying to add that amendment banning GPS units again, I would caution them not to do anymore fly-by-night legislation.  We all know how that expansion of the sales tax to computer services thing is going.

P. Kenneth Burns is the editor/writer of Maryland Politics Today and a columnist of PolitickerMD.com.  He also contributes to Salisbury News and Red Maryland.  His email is kennyburns@marylandpolitics.us.