NTSB Calls for Ban on Electronics While Driving

The National Transportation Safety Board is calling for a nationwide ban on motorists using personal electronic devices while driving.

The recommendation follows Tuesday's 2010 multi-vehicle high accident meeting in Missouri, according to a news release. Devices supporting the "driving task" or being used for emergencies would still be permitted.

"According to (the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), more than 3,000 people lost their lives last year in distraction-related accidents," Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman says in the release. "It is time for all of us to stand up for safety by turning off electronic devices when driving. No call, no text, no update, is worth a human life."

In the last two decades, there has been exponential growth in the use of cell phone and personal electronic devices, the release says. Globally, there are 5.3 billion mobile phone subscribers or 77 percent of the world's population. In the United States, that percentage is even higher, exceeding 100 percent.

A Virginia Tech Transportation Institute study of commercial drivers found that a "safety-critical event" is 163 times more likely if a driver is texting, emailing, or accessing the Internet, the release says.

A synopsis of the NTSB report, including the probable cause, findings, and a complete list of the safety recommendations, will be available online after the meeting.

“The NTSB recommendation may be a game-changer,” Jonathan Adkins, a Governors Highway Safety Association spokesman, told the Washington Post. “States aren’t ready to support a total ban yet, but this may start the discussion.”