Senator Jay O’Brien R-Va is currently supporting legislation that would ban the use of cell phones behind the wheel to teenage drivers with a provisional driver’s license. AAA Mid-Atlantic along with Sen. O’Brien, released new data in support of the bill. Data conducted by AAA Mid-Atlantic and gathered from their website concluded that 88 percent of Virginians believe that teenage drivers should be prohibited from using their cell phones while driving.
According to official statistics from aaamidatlantic.com, “motor-vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for all Americans between the ages of three and 33, and data from the U.S. Department of Transportation shows that per mile driven, 16-year-olds are about five times as likely as 33-year-olds to die behind the wheel.”
This sort of information boosts Sen. Obrien’s desire to support legislation in banning teenage cell phone usage. We wonder why this proposed legislation is being limited to just teenagers. Yes, statistics show that teenagers are more likely than older adults to die behind the wheel, but driving while being distracted by a cell phone is a problem that affects everyone, not just those under the age of twenty. Therefore, more than just the teenage population should be targeted for driving hreform.
Safety is obviously of the most importance here. Data released in last month from Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co, stated that of 1,200 drivers, 73 percent talk on cell phones while driving. While this survey did conclude that cell phone usage was highest among young drivers, the term “young” is subjective, and could possibly include not only teenagers but those in their twenties. With the increases in technology all around us, it would make sense to follow in the footsteps of other states such as
Therefore, we encourage the state of