"Mark & Juanita" wrote in message
... and how do you separate this as being any different from being
engaged in a conversation with a passenger in the automobile? That also is
an active vs. passive activity. Do you really want to go down the path
of
making the car a sterile environment?

Big differences really. If I'm listening to the radio or talking with a
passenger, I can just tune them out or not reply when my attention is needed
on the road. Phone conversations though, tend to take more concentration
and the phone user is less likely to mentally swap brain power to the road
ahead while they are giving tech support, taking an order, getting
instructions, etc.

The passenger may even see the upcoming traffic, the sudden turn, the big
splash from a truck and actually shut up knowing you need to concentrate on
driving. The phone caller does not see any of that.

Many of us look at our cars as our private space to do as we please. Eat
breakfast, read the paper,shave, make sales calls, all while trying to
drive. Some of these tasks take more attention than others. Traffic and
road conditions vary too, but not everyone puts away the phone when they are
severe.

US phone companies will not give up their call records, but a study was done
inAustrailia that showed an increase in accident rates for phone users.
This was published in the Hartford Courant a couple of months ago. I don't
think they should be banned, but drivers must use a lot of caution and
common sense and know when to put the phone away.