Colorado to Test Whether Cell Phones Cause Accidents

The state of Colorado is testing drivers to see whether cell phone use in cars need to be banned. . .

Currently, a handful of states ban the use of cell phones while driving. Colorado has yet to join the club, but may be providing information that will prompt it and other states to follow soon. Police and state patrol are now asking drivers at the scene of an accident whether they were using a cell phone. The answer is recorded as part of a study to determine how often cell use was a possible factor in a crash. There is no penalty for the driver who answers "yes", however, there is a penalty for lying to a patrolman, and answers will periodically be checked against phone records. State officials point out that while most people agree that cell use while driving is distracting, the degree to which it distracts and under what circumstances, is a matter of discussion. They point out that while in past years the issue was having your brain on the phone and your eyes on the road, the problem has become increasingly compounded by younger drivers attempting to text message while driving. The information will be compiled during 2007 and the results compiled, analyzed and released early next year.