According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the use of cell phones while driving is the “new DUI”…”an epidemic.” This follows a new study that indicates driver distraction being a contributing factor to some 3,000 plus roadway fatalities last year alone. As a result, the NTSB called for a nationwide ban on the use of cell phones while driving including talking as well as texting. The ban would also apply to hands-free devices with the only exemption being devices installed in the vehicle by the manufacturer.

Why the sudden focus on cell phones? According to a new study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, at any single time, there are 13.5 million drivers on the road using a hand held phone. This number is apparently rising even though a growing number of states are clamping down on their use. Currently, 35 states ban text messaging while driving. 10 states already ban the use of hand-held cell phones for any reason. Another 35 states now ban cell phone use by novice drivers.

And this, says the NTSB, is responsible for thousands of fatal accidents a year.

On The Other Hand…

There are those, however, who say cell phones are not to blame – it’s distracted drivers in general. Many point to an earlier study by the Highway Data Institute, a nonprofit funded by the auto insurance industry, that compared accident statistics in states that have banned cell phone use with those that have not. According to that study, the state bans have had an effect on reducing the number of people that use cell phones while driving, but have had little to no effect on the number of accidents that actually occur.

According to a spokesperson for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the problem is much bigger than cell phones – it’s really all about distracted driving in general.

Those opposing the ban on cell phone use while driving also point to research that shows that while cell phone use has exploded over the past few years, there is no correlating uptick in the number of automobile accidents.

It’s hard to argue that there aren’t a number of potential distractions facing today’s drivers. Changing radio stations, adjusting GPS devices, or simply eating french fries can all steal a driver’s attention away from the road.

What do you think? Is it time to ban all cell phone use or are these devices simply a scapegoat to a bigger problem? The jury is still in deliberation.