By Officer Pi Deng and Officer Joseph Hoebeke

HUDSON - With cellular phone popularity reaching new heights (over 100 million cell phones are in use in the United States), more and more drivers are using their commute time to conduct business and personal affairs by the use of their cell phone. Many people spend a substantial amount of their time in their vehicles. It is not at all surprising that people will attempt to optimize their time in the vehicle by using their cell phone to manage their busy personal and work life more efficiently. However, there is a dark side to this: dialing and discussing both affect your ability to properly respond to typical road hazards, let alone challenging driving situations, such as rush hour traffic.

Whenever you drive a vehicle, and your attention is not concentrating on the road, you are placing yourself, your passengers, other vehicles, and pedestrians in danger. Stressful or heated conversations, especially those involving relationships, contribute to driver distraction. When combined with a cell phone call, the two can be deadly. You might ask, what is the difference between talking on a cell phone and talking to a passenger in my vehicle? Well, it is fair to say that the difference between the two is that often times, passengers can alert drivers to dangerous situations. In sharp contrast, the person on the other end of your cell phone is oblivious to the driver's surroundings. Also, those who hold their cell phones while driving decrease their ability to react properly to any immediate road hazard, due to the fact that both hands are not in contact with the steering wheel.

It is very difficult to evaluate the exact number of motor vehicle accidents in the United States that are caused by cell phone use. The Harvard Center for Risk Analysis has estimated through their research that driver talking on their cell phones are responsible for about 6 percent of auto accidents in the United States every year, killing an estimated 2,600 people and injuring 330,000 others.

What action is the state and federal government taking in attempts to reduce these statistics?

To date, the federal government has not acted to regulate the use of cell phones and wireless technologies in motor vehicles; however, many state and local governments have passed legislation in an attempt to reduce these staggering statistics.

For instance, New York State prohibits drivers from using their cell phones while operating a motor vehicle without the use of hands-free equipment.

Closer to home, on 1 January 2002, the State of New Hampshire enacted RSA 265:79-b, Negligent Driving. What this statute states is, "Whoever upon any way drives a vehicle negligently or causes a vehicle to be driven negligently, as defined by RSA 626:2, II (d), or in a manner that endangers or is likely to endanger any person or property shall be guilty of a violation".

For example, you are driving your motor vehicle while talking on a cell phone and you fail to see a red light at the intersection. You then fail to stop and your vehicle hits another vehicle that is legally traveling through the intersection. This is a perfect example of an instance where an individual could be cited for negligent operation. Ultimately, it is the driver's responsibility to be in full control of his or her vehicle at all times, regardless of the circumstances.

This statute DOES NOT make it illegal for an individual to use their cell phone while driving a motor vehicle in the State of New Hampshire, but it is intended to make individuals aware that if their driving is deemed negligent, legal action will be taken by law enforcement agencies in order to deter this behavior.

SOME TIPS IF YOU MUST TALK AND DRIVE: