Originally published February 4 2005
Virginia is looking to enact legislation than would prevent teenagers from using cell phones while driving
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
After a string of fatal accidents on the roads, the Virginia Senate's Transportation Committee approved a bill that would make it illegal for teenage drivers to use a cell phone while driving, including those using hands-free devices. The bill is designed to keep teenagers' minds on the road instead of their phone conversations.
The Virginia Senate's Transportation Committee approved a bill Thursday that would bar young drivers from using cell phones.
The proposal, backed by several Northern Virginia senators concerned about a rash of deadly accidents, would require teenagers, some of the most voracious users of cell phones, to pull over before making calls -- even if they plan to use a hands-free device.
Virginia already has more stringent requirements on teenage drivers than Maryland, the result of an overhaul of teenage driving laws led by the two senators in 2001.
Teenagers, many of whom consider their cell phones a critical tool for their social lives and a convenient way to check in with their parents, offered a mix of opinions yesterday about the proposed law.
He also avoids talking on the phone if he is in an unfamiliar area -- unless he's calling his father to ask for directions.
Patrick Drewer, 17, a senior at Oakton High School who keeps his cell phone handy while driving to and from school each day, thinks the proposed law "would not be a good idea."
He said that he chats with friends while driving, but that in difficult conditions, such as Wednesday's snowstorm, he doesn't make or take calls.
Epstein carries a cell phone, but if it rings in the car, she lets her voice mail take the call and then returns it later.
Besides the cell phone ban, Mims and O'Brien would also like to elevate violations of Virginia's teenage driving laws from secondary to primary offenses.
Maryland does not restrict the number of passengers teenagers can have in a car, but the recent spate of accidents has moved legislators there to consider tightening rules, too.
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