Cell Phone Related Car Crashes On The Rise
By GABE WELLS Staff WriterWHEELING - Troopers from the Wheeling Detachment of the West Virginia State Police are more likely to recover a cellular phone than empty beer bottles at the scene of a crash.
Sgt. Scott Adams said Wednesday he is in favor of laws prohibiting cellular calls and text messages made while driving.
Of the crashes handled by the Wheeling Detachment, those involving cellular phones are now outnumbering those involving alcohol, he said.
Adams said 10-20 percent of the recent crashes investigated by Wheeling Detachment troopers involved a cellular phone.
He noted cellular-related crashes are more likely with younger drivers.
And his biggest concern on local highways is, "Definitely cell phone use," he said.
"You don't often run into 16-18 year-olds drinking. They all have cell phones. Cell phone use is a bigger issue than drinking. I think that goes for all people," Adams said.
Adams said he would not be opposed to laws prohibiting cell phone use and text messaging by drivers.
He said laws allowing troopers to stop drivers text messaging behind the wheel would be "a good idea."
Drivers utilizing a "hands-free" option for cellular calls should be an exception to such law, he noted.
However, Lt. Roger Norris the Ohio State Highway Patrol Post 7 in St. Clairsville said he does not know if there is sufficient evidence indicating a need for new laws.
He said there are many distractions that keep drivers' eyes from the highway.
"I've seen people reading newspapers and magazines," Norris said.
"I don't know that there is enough data to support it. Anything can divide someone's attention. It could be a cell phone or a stereo. A lot of people speculate that texting is causing crashes. It's obviously a hazard, but we don't have hard data on how often it happens."
Norris noted cell phone use behind the wheel often leads to easily spotted moving violations.
"There are laws that could apply all the way to reckless operation if you could prove that in court," Norris said.
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BurningUp07
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09-14-08 9:55 PM
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Why don't they bring up how many accidents excessive speeding causes, since law enforcement refuses to enforce speed limit laws in large cities like Pittsburgh..........and yaaa for gods sake do you people have to bring up politics in every freaking article on here.
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MaryLynn
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09-14-08 9:30 PM
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I seem to recall that it was the Republicans that created The Patriot Act - the biggest infringement on privacy and regulating our lives in recent history - not the liberal Democrats.
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beekann
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09-14-08 6:53 PM
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I've seen make-up being put on. Books and magazines being read-someone eating their dinner and drinking a beverage-tobacco smokers-someone fiddling with the radio or the air conditioner -or reaching in the back seat to attend to a child or to grab something. I think it should be common sense, not the law or the insurance companies telling us how to live.
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UNCOMMONSENSE
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09-14-08 5:05 PM
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We don't need any more "laws" to restrict our liberties. Government has FAR too much control of our lives as it is. Talking to another passenger or eating while driving cause at least as many accidents maybe more. But do we really want the insurance lobby to tell us we can't talk to passengers while driving?
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whisperinghope
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09-14-08 1:57 PM
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Good points there are lots of distractions but since we can't or won't police ourselves and these activiites cause death what should we do? Insurance companies are going to lobby for these laws because they are the ones paying out the money!!!!!
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acousticportal
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09-14-08 1:31 PM
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Would a law like this apply to everyone? What about using an in-car computer while driving around like in emergency vehicles? What about using the radio, cd player, or i-pod? How about windshield wipers? What if people continue talking to passengers in the vehicle, would that eventually be illegal?
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TruthSeeker
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09-14-08 12:14 PM
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"The liberals want to control and regulate every aspect of our lives for our "own good"." ?????? How did this particular article go from one particular officer wanting more laws to liberals wanting to control and regulate? Methinks you need to adjust your reading comprehension.
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GETACLUE
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09-14-08 10:10 AM
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ohyeah.... All of the things you mentioned were legit reasons for using the cell phone you just needed to PULL OFF THE ROAD to make those calls.
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ohyeah
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09-14-08 9:52 AM
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THis is nearly impossible to make a real law. I had to use my cell phone to call 911 while driving to take my son to the ER. I had to use my cell while driving to tell a family to not leave yet, I wanted to see them before they left for a few months. I believe that it causes accidents, and that is why people should not live on their phones while driving. But at the same time, that is why we started buying our bag phones in the early 90's. We needed these so we would not be stuck, stranded or car jacked with out help. BTW , I had ten times better reception when I used the bag phone. And less people bothered me.
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CTMountaineer
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09-14-08 9:38 AM
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The liberals want to control and regulate every aspect of our lives for our "own good". They need to be taking laws off the books, not adding more to them. There are many distractions while driving. Cell phones are only one of them. Are you going to want to make passengers illegal next? or drinking coffee? Don't make any more laws. We have already become too much of a police state. At the same time, blue tooth devices are cheap and it makes perfect sense to use them.
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reasoh
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09-14-08 7:38 AM
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OSP trooper has it right there are already laws that would cover this.There is no need for more!!
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