Vermont Hand Held Cell Phone Ban
A necessity of our society has become staying connected. It is now an expectation for individuals to be “reachable” at all times throughout the day. This expectation can be correlated directly with the increasing trend of technology. One of the main devices that 
are feeding into this “need” is cell phones. The convenience of a cell phone is that they are portable and therefore are able to be transported wherever the individual may go. Cell phone users utilize their devises constantly throughout the day resulting in the fact that they are no longer consciously aware of their utilization when it occurs. It has become a norm to utilize a cell phone during instances where the brain should be focusing on a pressing matter, for instance when operating a vehicle. According to the National Safety Council, it is estimated that at least 28% of all traffic crashes involve drivers utilizing cell phones while behind the wheel. This amounts to at least 1.6 million crashes each year.
Due to this issue, states are becoming actively involved in putting a stop to cell phone use while behind the wheel. Just recently, it has been released that the state of Vermont will be issuing a hand held cell phone ban. Effective October 1st, 2014, all portable electronic devices, including, music players, laptop computers, and cellular telephones will be illegal to utilize while operating a vehicle. Hands free devices are permitted under the law if they do not require the use of either hand OR are directly in the driver’s ear. With this new ban becoming an aspect of the Vermont legal system, there will be consequences for those individuals who chose not to properly abide by this law. For more information on the State of VT’s law going into effect on 10/1, please visit the Vermont Highway Safety Alliance website.
