New York first state to ban cell phone use while driving

On the heels of some very publicized automobile accidents said to be caused by distracted drivers on cell phones--like that involving model Nikki Taylor at the end of April-- New York is poised to become the first state to ban drivers from using handheld cell phones.

Adopted in the state assembly Monday, the measure was approved by the state senate last week. New York Gov. George Pataki is expected to sign the bill into law sometime this week.

While proponents and opponents of the action have been voicing their opinions for the last week, wireless carriers may bear the brunt of the impact from this decision. People on the go, who often spend a great deal of time in the car, have relied most on mobile communications and rack up lots of minutes for carriers. In effect, the New York decision could pressure carriers to take a closer look at marketing hands-free options and ensure that they are affordable.

“About 80% to 85% of cell-phone usage happens in vehicles,” said Cliff Raskind, Senior Industry Analyst For Wireless Data and Computing Services at Strategy Analytics. Raskind suggested that the legislation in New York could motivate more carriers to include hands-free cellular headsets as part of a service bundle.

All carriers have over the last half a year stepped up their focus on driving safely and some, like Cingular, have made a point to get the word out on its commitment to the issue.

“Cingular Wireless supports sensible and considerate use of phones at all times and has launched a national education campaign entitled ‘Be Sensible’ to teach consumers about responsible use of wireless communication products,” according to a statement from the carrier.

‘We believe that education and the enforcement of existing laws is the most effective way to deal with the overall issue of driver distraction. The overwhelming preponderance of scientific studies indicates that wireless communication represents a small fraction of driver distractions.”

The ban in New York could begin by Nov. 1. However, those caught using handheld phones while driving only will face verbal warnings during the first month. Beyond that, violators can have their tickets dismissed until the end of February if they have a receipt proving that they have bought a hands-free solution.

Otherwise the proposed cell phone ban could carry fines of $100 or more.

Until this week, about a dozen municipalities have established bans, with Brooklyn, Ohio one of the first. There also are bans being considered across the U.S., and some countries overseas already have passed bans including Great Britain, Italy and Japan.