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The Chronicle welcomes you online! Please feel free to respond to these editorials or letters to the editor by sending your
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We condense letters; most, as published, won't exceed 300 words. A letter must include the writer's name and city, which will be published, and an address and telephone number for verification, which will not be published. Writers may be limited to one letter every 30 days. Open letters, letters to third parties and poetry are not considered. Letters from people living outside the Chronicle's circulation area usually are not considered.
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Cell phones and cars
Web posted
Saturday, February 10, 2001
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The Athens-Clarke County Commission fell just one vote short of making theirs the first Southeast city to join nine Northeast communities in prohibiting drivers from using hand-held cell phones.
The close vote was spurred by large numbers of cell phone foes - led by a grieving mom whose 2-year-old son was killed when a teen driver lost control while dialing - demanding the ban at commission meetings.
The anti-cell phone movement is starting to generate the kind of public steam that Mothers Against Drunk Driving did in its early days. However, there are several reasons why this anger won't reach MADD's level.
A drunk driving accident can be proved by measuring the driver's blood alcohol content; it's not that easy to prove a cell phone accident. Community bans can take hold as an expression of local sentiment, but they'd never make much headway on the state level. Cell phones are simply too popular in and out of cars.
There are two ways to deal with the problem. One, harshly punish careless or reckless driving involving cell phones. The other is be patient. Soon safe, non-distracting hands-free phones with headsets and speakers will be a routine part of every new car, just as air-conditioners are.
Augusta Chronicle Editorial Staff
Cell phones in cars are so widespread that it's hard to believe moves to ban them could make much progress. Yet, they are.
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