Last fall, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued a sweeping recommendation that all cell phone use-including both handheld and hands-free use-be banned while driving to reduce the risks of motor vehicle accidents.

The recommendation has been met with a mixed reception in the states, where it faces a long struggle through legislative houses. No state has ever passed an outright ban on cell phone use while driving and only Alaska has even considered doing so.

An NTSB board member believes that distracted driving is the next safety concern that will take social and cultural change to implement, similar to national campaigns to change the public's perception of drunk driving. Opponents of the ban claim it is far too sweeping and will be nearly impossible to enforce.

This sentiment is shared by Utah Highway Patrol Lieutenant Lee Perry. While he believes distracted driving is dangerous behavior, he does not think an outright ban on cell phone use will be helpful. Perry claims that identifying and ticketing drivers who violate the ban would be very difficult.

The state of Utah has two distracted driving laws on the books. The state joins 35 other states and the District of Columbia in banning texting while driving for all drivers. While hands-free and handheld use is still legal in the state, if handheld cell phone use contributes to a moving violation, the behavior is labeled a careless driving offense.

The NTSB's recommendation to ban all cell phone use while driving is a dramatic action that will at the very least get state legislators to discuss the safety concerns inherent in distracted driving. Tougher laws would help protect all road users from injury or death from drivers who fail to keep their eyes on the road.

If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident involving a distracted driver, please consult an experienced personal injury attorney.

Source: "Utahns react to recommendation of no cell phones for drivers," Standard-Examiner, 12/2011.