To the editor:
Re: For Safety Sake, Cell Phone Use In All Vehicles Should Be Banned, column by Paul Hergott, Aug. 16 Capital News.
Mr. Hergott has done an excellent job covering the reasons to prohibit cell phone use (hands-free included) by drivers of vehicles.
I could not agree more with the points he made. As a motorist, cyclist and pedestrian I find the use of cell phones by drivers to be a huge safety concern—there are sufficient distractions available without adding to them.
Unfortunately, many of the accidents caused by drivers using cell phones (and /or texting) cause injury and death to people who are not driving while distracted.
The cell phone industry has sold a large number of hands-free “distraction units” to motorists over the last few years, prompted by the prohibition of hands-on cell phone use by drivers. Surely the industry has had sufficient financial rewards and the province can now take a serious look at the safety aspects of all cell phone use and do what they should have done several years ago—outlaw all cell phone use by drivers.
John Suttie, Kelowna
