A national safety group is urging states to do something New Hampshire lawmakers have rejected in recent years – ban cell phone use while driving.
The National Safety Council says states should ban drivers from using cell phones, and businesses should prohibit employees from using cell phones while driving. The group’s president likens talking on cell phones to drunken driving, saying cell phone use increases the risk of a crash fourfold.
Though they’ve rejected similar bills, New Hampshire lawmakers will consider two more this session. One would prohibit people from using their cell phones, sending text messages or holding a pet on their laps while driving. Another would only ban texting while driving.
No state currently bans all cell phone use while driving. Six states allow only hands-free phones, and 17 states restrict or ban cell phone use by novice drivers.