SALINAS, Calif. - On Tuesday, the National Transportation Safety Board introduced a plan to ban almost all cell phone use by drivers, even if you're using a hands free device. Not only will the NTSB want to Bluetooths and cell phones, but it also wants car makers to figure out a way to disable those devices while driving, emergency calls being the exception.
California Highway Patrol said hands free devices are just as dangerous as holding the phone to your ear.
"There's still that distraction, I've talked to a lot of drivers with or without the hands free, that don't remember the simple commute that they've taken over a period of time; they don't know how they got there," said Art Carbonel, CHP Traffic Officer.
CHP Traffic Officer Art Carbonel said he writes about 9 tickets a day for drivers talking or texting while driving. What's even scarier for this officer is some days, he issues more cell phone citations than speeding tickets.
"It just shows me that people either don't care or they're certainly aware of it and they don't believe they can get caught," said Officer Carbonel.
On Tuesday, the NTSB said at any given moment in a day, there are 13.5 million drivers on hand held phones. One NSTB member even said distracted driving is becoming the new DUI. But there would be some exceptions. You would still be able to use GPS navigation devices and you could use your cell phone in an emergency. Public Safety Officials couldn't tell me if this proposed law would affect them as well.
"It was something that was broad and very general, but here in California, it does ban that use without a hands free device, but does not exempt law enforcement or fire or ambulance," said Officer Carbonel.
The NTSB doesn't have the power to set laws, but its recommendations on the ban carries much weight throughout the country.
