Mobile Phones and Driving: There Ought to be a Law

It is imperative for all of us to arrive safely in our destinations. It is everybody’s concern to be able come back to our families at home with an intact body—no bruises and no limbs detached. Not a single day pass by that we either read from the newspapers or heard over the radio or watched on the evening news on TV about accidents that occurred in the streets mostly involving vehicles and people and these happen at any time of the day. According to the Philippine National Police (PNP) data there is an average of 41 traffic incidents per day resulting in fatalities, injuries and instances of property damage. The report concluded that most traffic accidents are caused mainly by driver errors. The other listed causes of traffic crashes included vehicle mechanical defects, speeding and…what do you know—cell phone use! A lot of drivers whether they be private motorists or drivers of public conveyances are indiscriminately using their mobile phones while their cars are in motion as if they are in the comfort of their homes. The PNP data also stated that cell phone use while driving represented the highest increase among the causes of traffic accidents. It is estimated that cell phone distracted drivers are four times more likely to be in a car wreck including, of course, their passengers.

We do not want these to happen

A number of times I had encountered this kind of situation wherein the driver uses his phone and not just making or receiving a call—he’s texting. You can just imagine the distraction that goes with texting, the driver’s eyes on and off the road. All the time I had to remind these drivers that we passengers pay our fares to be brought to our respective destinations safely. If there is really urgency then he might as well pull over and have his texting done with. Sad to say these drivers still have the guts to arrogantly reason out and would only stop if you threaten to report them to the proper authorities. It is about time that the Philippine legislators pass a law the soonest possible time prohibiting the use of mobile phones or car phones by drivers aboard any kind of moving vehicle and there should be no exceptions at all whether they are public officials, the police, the military, the medical practitioners, etc. It does not mean that if you belong to the mentioned groups of people you will be less likely to be in a car wreck. We can always find a way to avoid accidents. Just remember: life is too short to be little.