Simple question - should all use of mobile phones be banned while driving?

Hands free isn't a problem you can always stop talking when you need to but texting - that should be banned - having said that, shouldn't smoking behind the wheel also be banned as you're still only using one hand?

Some studies say that using even a handsfree mobile has a detrimental effect on driving roughly equivalent to having drunk enough to be over the legal limit.

From experience many of the people I see swerving between lanes and basically driving like idiots are on the phone.

The problem with banning mobiles is that you would have ban other things which distract drivers like loud music, backseat drivers, crying babies etc etc.

Personally I think it shouldn't be banned but anyone seen to be driving without due care and attention should be fined very heavily.

I think it should be completely banned whilst driving, yes. Using a mobile for texting or without hands free whilst driving is, in my opinion, driving without due care and attention; there was never even a need to introduce a new law to cover it.

Personally, I always put my mobile in the boot whilst I'm driving so that, a) there is no temptation for me to use it, even if I hear it beep, and b) there can be no way for an officer of the law to claim I was using it when I wasn't. I've heard of this happening before.

When I was in Sales, for the last 18 months I had a Mobile for the first time, and it was amazing how many people rang me with complete trivia, Customers included. It got to the stage when I used to just turn it off, and pick up important Missed Calls off the phone menu.

Nothing is that important to risk a possible tragedy, so to answer your question, it should be illegal to have an active Mobile in a Car.

No I use mine hands free - the phone is on the back seat and connects to the radio via bluetooth. It is the same as talking to someone in the passenger seat.

But with this guy I think he would have used his phone regardless of what the law says - he had also drank 5 pints which has been illegal since whenever. It was also his second drink driving offence.

Penalising the masses who use combine their use of cars, phones and alcohol correctly is not the right way. It needs to start with stiffer sentencing for a first offence.

Maybe some device could be put into cars to stop the signal, I think modern theatres have something similar. Anyone needing to use one simply has to stop and get out of the car.

People widely flout the mobile laws whilst driving as it is, and in our modern society were selfishness is seen as a virtue, there are always going to be morons like this who put the need to use their mobile above the life of someone they have never met, and care nothing about.

He wouldn't even plead guilty to manslaughter despite drinking in the afternoon, and threatening to crash into another car.

People just will not take responsibility for the consequences of their actions today.

Well even just holding a phone in your hand is still illegal nevermind if you are or aren't texting or talking to someone but I don't get the constant blame of handsfree or why ppl think its just as dangerous, I mean surely it's exactly the same as talking to a passenger in the car and people could get distracted from driving by their passenger yakkering on and on away at them

I would prefer to see an upper limit to the volume output of car stereo systems.Some of them can be heard a quarter of a mile away.I can't see how anyone even if they are profoundly deaf actually needs that level of sound to hear what they are listening to.I also feel that the level of sound that some of them produce creates a distraction not only to the driver of the vehicle producing the sound but to other road users as well.

That may just be an option. Am sure the safety for another is as much a priority as for oneself. banning use may be effective but you can expect further pressure for those who are already struggling to cope, regards their situations and as its more likely for a person to make mistakes through lack of stability, their is further possibility of making things difficult, regards fines imposed.

I suppose, any method to reduce risk is always welcome and so it may be worth looking at having the neccessary equipement fitted to being a standard feature in safety within motoring.

It could be worth whist for retailers to offer the equipement free, as an incentive.to customers, on purchase of a used vehicle or make it an offer.

??.. Am bored.

well as long as its hands free and on a speaker without drawing your attention away from the road it should be allowed, because its easy enough for the driver to talk to ppl in the car so on a hands free kit it is pretty much the same, but as for texting etc, banned banned banned all together!!