Ontario Proposes Cell Ban Legislation
New Laws October 31st. 2008, 12:00amIn August, we reported the whiff of legislation in the air, specifically, the banning of cellphones while driving. This past Tuesday, The Metro reported Ontario was introducing legislation that day to reduce distracted drivers. It’s now only a matter of time before it’s illegal to use hand-held electronic devices while driving.
If this law is passed, any driver caught emailing, texting, surfing the web or chatting on cellphones, BlackBerrys and Global Positioning Systems (GPSs) will face penalties. The ban specifically covers the use of these portable electronic devices and the repercussions include fines and demerit points.
So should you throw away your new GPS? No. The bill developed by Transportation Minister, Jim Bradley, deems Bluetooth technology safe to use while driving, as well as dashboard mounted GPS devices. These exemptions, however, call into question the reasoning behind such as ban as the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) believes they are “just as distracting to drivers because they reduce response times by impairing cognitive function and visual concentration.”
The OMA has been pushing a cellphone ban for three years now. Based on one of their studies, talking on a phone while driving is comparably hazardous (on a relative risk basis) to driving with a blood alcohol level at the legal limit. From the Metro:
“The evidence is clear that driving while using a mobile phone is dangerous to the driver, their passengers and others on or near the roadway,” said OMA president Dr. Ken Arnold.”
The cellphone exemptions to this ban provide both a case for and against this legislation. Additional fuel for the debate is Premier Dalton McGuity’s previous opposition, which he reneged later, to such a ban as he stated that it’s difficult to know where to draw the line between other distractions.
A very good point, despite the vehicular deaths attributed to cellphone use – the reason behind Premier McGuinty’s change of mind. These other distractions include activities such as eating, drinking (non-alcoholic beverages) and smoking cigarettes, all of which entail the use of one’s hands.
So readers, how does the law justify the banning of hand-held electronic devices but not these other distractions?
April 7th, 2009 at 11:47 pm
Blue tooth should be allowed,communication is essential for emergency calls etc.but not talking on the cell phone directly.
February 2nd, 2010 at 5:30 pm
[...] in October of 2008, the Ontario government was mulling over a cell ban legislation to reduce distractions while driving. Within one year, this `distracted driving’ law is now in [...]