# Cell Phone Use and PSAs Against Distracted Driving: What Seems Excessive to You? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 11, 2022, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511 "2022-08-11T21:57:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/61 "2022-08-12T22:08:49Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > Unless it has changed very recently I don’t think that is a hard and fast rule. I haven’t been over since before Covid, but I do recall a news item where a woman was ticketed for taking a drink of bottled water, while sitting at a red stop light. There were discussions about police overreach, and I’m not sure if she had to pay and take the insurance points in the end, but it made the local news. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/62 "2022-08-12T22:08:56Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > I’m pretty sure that in most jurisidictions, “I was just checking GPS” is NOT a valid defense to a charge of distracted driving I’m pretty sure that there are _no_ jurisdictions where, so long as it is appropriately mounted and you are not holding or operating it, using a GPS is grounds for a charge of distracted driving. So, such a defense wouldn’t be necessary in the first place. > [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > If you can safely spare a couple of seconds to glance at a road sign that says “[next road exit] 1.5 miles”, Especially since your phone doesn’t have little sayings that the local government thought would be pithy and catchy, silly things like “Eyes up, phones down” to distract you. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/63 "2022-08-12T22:12:01Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > I’m pretty sure that there are _no_ jurisdictions where, so long as it is appropriately mounted and you are not holding or operating it, using a GPS is grounds for a charge of distracted driving. If you are touching the phone to accept/decline a re-route, you are operating it. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/64 "2022-08-12T23:14:25Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > Because the road signs are on/beside the road, where you’re eyes are supposed to be scanning. Not in your cupholder, lap, mount, or adjacent seat. My phone mount is high on the dashboard in line with my eyes on the road. But that can still distract me if I allow that to happen. I see LEOs driving while typing on and reading from a laptop mounted lower near the center console. That can certainly lead to distracted driving. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/65 "2022-08-12T23:15:37Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > > [@k9bfriender](#): > > > > I’m pretty sure that there are _no_ jurisdictions where, so long as it is appropriately mounted and you are not holding or operating it, using a GPS is grounds for a charge of distracted driving. > > If you are touching the phone to accept/decline a re-route, you are operating it. Just like you would need to do to operate the radio in your car, eg, changing stations. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/66 "2022-08-12T23:42:10Z")
It has already been pointed out that in many if not most GPS apps, you wouldn’t ever need to do so, but it sounds like you are saying that looking at maps while driving causes less distraction than hitting a button? So, do you not signal your turns, as flicking on the turn signal counts as a distraction to you, or turn on your windshield wipers when it rains, as that too, would be just as distracting? ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2022, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/67 "2022-08-13T01:17:53Z")
Different people have different levels of distraction. Some get distracted while picking their nose while others don’t, while others can drive pretty well while doing some texting while others would get in an accident. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2022, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/68 "2022-08-13T01:30:31Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > I passed a car and glanced over to see that the driver had a bible set inside the steering wheel “Lord, take the wheel! I’m busy reading!” ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2022, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/69 "2022-08-13T01:51:07Z")
My employer prohibits any type of cell phone use by the driver while the vehicle is in motion, or face up to a $5,000 fine and six months in prison. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2022, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/70 "2022-08-13T01:53:36Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > Because the road signs are on/beside the road, where you’re eyes are supposed to be scanning. Not in your cupholder, lap, mount, or adjacent seat. My phone sits higher on my dash board than most of my car’s instrument cluster. If I want to look at my car’s speedometer, or the fuel gauge, or any of the other things that most driving instructors will advise you to keep an eye on, I’m diverting my eyes lower than if I were to look at my cell phone. In either case, the time my eyes are away from the road for any of these tasks is a second or two at most. Now you have me wondering how you drive such that you feel one or two seconds of not having your eyes on the road constitutes an inexcusable flirtation with disaster. Are you a habitual tailgater or something? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2022, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/71 "2022-08-13T02:26:27Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/nJtxMnvY3_4/hqdefault.jpg "Sunny Cereal") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJtxMnvY3_4) ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2022, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/72 "2022-08-13T09:23:34Z")
> [@carnut](#): > > I haven’t been over since before Covid, but I do recall a news item where a woman was ticketed for taking a drink of bottled water, while sitting at a red stop light. There were discussions about police overreach, and I’m not sure if she had to pay and take the insurance points in the end, but it made the local news. I’ve seen similar reports. It definitely is a grey area. The police have a lot of latitude in interpreting that concept of “distraction”. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2022, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/73 "2022-08-13T11:41:57Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > My employer prohibits any type of cell phone use by the driver while the vehicle is in motion, or face up to a $5,000 fine and six months in prison. Your employer can imprison people? Do you work for a government? ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2022, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/74 "2022-08-13T11:49:44Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > I don’t know how it works exactly, but I send out a lot of texts to clients, and sometimes get a reply along the lines of, “I am driving now and cannot receive texts. If this is an emergency please reply with ‘urgent’.” This sounds ideal! Unfortunately, my iPhone usually thinks I’m driving whenever I hold it. I think it’s hand tremors that do it. I have to set the phone down on a surface to use it, unless I keep the driving sensing feature disabled - so that’s what I do. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2022, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/75 "2022-08-13T11:59:49Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > Because the road signs are on/beside the road, where you’re eyes are supposed to be scanning. Not in your cupholder, lap, mount, or adjacent seat My phone mount is on my dash, above the radio, etc. It’s as much in my line of vision as the roadside signage you are perusing. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2022, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/76 "2022-08-13T15:10:22Z")
Yeah, mine, too. Why wouldn’t you mount your phone/GPS where it’s easy to see? I really like GPS, and i think the idea of turning off your phone instead of using it to help you drive is dumb. Although i do intend to get Android auto in my next phone, so I can use the car’s interface and not have to use a mount that blocks an air duct. I will also have larger controls that way, although that might make me less safe, as currently, i just don’t touch the mounted phone while i drive, and with a larger interface i might occasionally add a stop or something. A lot of people also use their phone as their source of music, and that seems useful and constructive, too. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2022, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/77 "2022-08-13T15:29:22Z")
And yet the very [law](https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=46.61.672) referred to in the PSA explicitly says that it doesn’t apply to simply touching the phone with a finger. > however, this does not preclude the minimal use of a finger to activate, deactivate, or initiate a function of the device [“Dangerously distracted driving”](https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=46.61.673) is also a traffic infraction but it refers to > a person who engages in any activity not related to the actual operation of a motor vehicle in a manner that interferes with the safe operation of such motor vehicle on any highway. These are two very different laws - one prohibits certain uses of electronic devices whether they interfere with safe operation of a vehicle or not and the other prohibits **any** behavior that interferes with the safe operation of a vehicle. No one has an issue with the latter , but some of the former ones just don’t make sense - why is a phone held in front of my face on speaker distracting while a two-way radio microphone held in the same place is not? Why would touching my phone to accept or decline a reroute automatically be a violation when touching a button on my touchscreen to change the radio station isn’t? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2022, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/78 "2022-08-13T15:31:54Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > Do you write down these directions? If so, then you are reading a piece of paper when you should be driving. If not, what do you do when there are several turns on the route, more than you can easily remember? Do you think that taking your eyes off the road looking for the Sunoco station and trying to make out signs for cross streets to see when Elm is coming up is safer than being told, “Turn left at next intersection”? I don’t think glancing at a satnav is necessarily all that different from glancing at a rear view mirror. It’s not especially unsafe to take your eye momentarily off the road, if it’s done in a very controlled fashion, when the way is clear ahead. I think it’s possible that trying to recall a set of memorised route instructions could for some people actually be more distracting, because it may involve switching modes of thinking. If a satnav is in a fixed position, requires no interaction when driving, it’s the _opposite_ of a distraction - it’s a reassurance that you can maintain your attention on the road ahead, not the destination. If you need to change the route, find somewhere to stop, tinker with the machine, then resume. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2022, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/79 "2022-08-13T16:30:12Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > while others can drive pretty well while doing some texting while others would get in an accident. I don’t believe that anyone is able to drive well while taking their eyes off the road long enough to read or send a text. I have met some who claim that they can, and what actually happens is that they stop paying attention to the road, and don’t know how badly they are driving. I was in a vehicle with someone who claimed they could text and drive, so they would pull out their phone, swerve all over the road, then say, “See, easy.” only having avoided accidents due to the actions of other drivers on the road. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2022, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/80 "2022-08-14T05:03:59Z")
Here is a [flier](https://www.nsc.org/getmedia/aa35aab0-50bc-4c00-9da9-84be89d7e6b7/tip-sheet.pdf.aspx) from the National Safety Council advocating turning off cell phones and putting them in the trunk or glove compartment. [https://www.nsc.org/getmedia/aa35aab0-50bc-4c00-9da9-84be89d7e6b7/tip-sheet.pdf.aspx](https://www.nsc.org/getmedia/aa35aab0-50bc-4c00-9da9-84be89d7e6b7/tip-sheet.pdf.aspx) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511.md?page=5)