Dear editor,

With much interest and concern, we read the article, Nova Scotia looks to ban cell phones while driving (Truck News, May 2001 page 16).

Crashes will always lead to renewed demands to ban cell phones from motor vehicles.

Indeed, some countries like England, Italy and Japan, have imposed cell phone bans, even though there is little evidence of a direct correlation between collisions and the use of mobile phones.

The issue at hand is defensive driving. Banning cell phones would be counter-productive and unenforceable.

We should be focussing on driver education and attitudes.

Many of the over eight million wireless phones in Canada are used in motor vehicles.

With a cell phone, you can call for help or report a dangerous situation; Canadians use mobile phones to call 911 or emergency numbers close to three million times a year.

When you’re stuck in traffic, calling to say you’ll be late can reduce stress and make you less inclined to drive aggressively.

The Canada Safety Council advises people who use a cell phone in their vehicle to avoid unnecessary calls and always make the driving task their top priority.

Emile-J. Therien

Canada Safety Council