We passed laws outlawing cell phones because it causes reckless driving. The thing is, we already have laws against reckless driving.
I presume they passed a law against driving while using a cell phone, not against cellphones accross the board?
The thing is, we already have laws against reckless driving.
Ok. You are right. However, its not that simple.
First: The standard for "reckless driving" is quite vague and subject to interpretation. The standard for "driving with a cellphone in hand" is much simpler.
Second: They can enforce "driving with a cellphone" even before it escalates to "reckless driving". They don't have to prove you weren't paying attention. They don't have to WAIT for you to drift over the center line a few times and almost run up on the sidewalk before they can pull you over. They can pull you as soon as they see you "driving with cellphone in hand".
Third: The new law communicates effectively and unequivocally that driving while on the phone is not allowed. Clearly that message was not being effectively transmitted by the existing reckless driving laws -- because epic proportions of otherwise perfectly reasonable people were routinely and obliviously doing stupid and dangerous things while driving on the phone.
And as it is always just a small fraction of the total time they are on the phone; its better ban it outright than to only try and catch people in the middle of heated conversations, or while they are having trouble dialing;... etc. Because by then its too late.
A law against cellphones while driving is a good thing IMO.
Do we need a law for eating food in the car while driving or putting make up on?
As it is, police can and DO pull people over for 'distracted driving' if they see them unfolding a map, reading the paper, or applying eyeshadow with the rearview mirror. If it applying-makeup while driving rose to the epidemic levels that cellular phone usage had then yes.
As for eating... I don't know. Is munching on a chocolate bar that distracting, or eating sunflower seeds, or drinking a cup-o-soup or sipping a coffee from a travel mug? Sure you shouldn't be eating a steak and potatoes with fork and knife with the plate in your lap; and side salad on the dashboard... and the police have discretion to pull people over for that. But an outright ban against all 'eating' seems an over reach to me.