Cap call time for motorists using phones

THE EDITOR, Sir:

The mobile phone has evolved into quite a versatile piece of device. It demands self-constraint, care and caution. However, if traffic regulators were to have their way, legislation would be designed and passed banning the use of cellphones while driving.

That would be so, notwithstanding the absence of hard data necessary to establish any correlation between the high rate of road traffic accidents and the use of the cellphone while driving. Apparently, our regulators had premised their recommendations on studies done and measures implemented elsewhere.

As has been our custom in attemp-ting to deal with traffic offences, hefty fines have been proposed on the premise that they would serve as deterrents. Local anecdotes, however, are likely to indicate that instead of deterrence, draconian measures at times result in traffic offences being settled out of court and the proceeds evading the public coffers.

Measures with the potential to promote and enhance road safety should be supported. However, prohibiting the use of cellphones while driving would be a backward move and denying ourselves the convenience, comfort and benefits of an era of technological innovations and proliferation. Controlled use is the better option.

Capped calling

An idea, with an economic dimension, would have the faculty of engineering in our universities, electronic engineers and technicians designing a device for installation in motor vehicles to communicate with cellphones. It would enable the use of the cell while driving without it being on the person. The device would automatically terminate each call after three minutes. This would provide for contact to be made, particularly in time of distress, urgency or emergency and for conversation to resume at a more convenient time and place.

One understands that one of the recommendations would permit the use of mobile phones while driving with both hands on the steering wheel. This implies that it would be an offence to have one hand on the steering wheel and the other clutching a phone. Such a proposal, it would seem, would be short of taming the risk that our traffic regulators have been pursuing. In short, it allows for lengthy conversations or even discourse with the potential of the driver losing his/her focus on the road. Capping conversations would minimise the distraction that long conversations could possibly result in.

I am, etc.,

LIONEL RUSSELL

Ensom City, St Catherine