新西兰英语 34 Cell Phones
Do you think talking on a cell phone while driving is dangerous? What about texting or reading text messages while driving? It is amazing that some people do that but it’s true. Last year, a driver who was texting killed two teenage sisters and this year a husband and wife were killed by another driver who was texting. Both drivers had also been drinking.
Now, the Minister of Transport Safety, Harry Duynhoven, has suggested that it is time for Parliament to make a law to ban hand-held cell phones while driving. Drivers can still use a speaker phone which means that their hands are free. Some people think even this is too dangerous because drivers might be talking instead of concentrating on their driving. At an intersection, drivers need to take more care and not talk. Talking to passengers in the car is not so dangerous because they usually keep quiet when they can see that the driver is concentrating.
At least 45 other countries have banned the use of hand-held cell phones by drivers. The situation in New Zealand is more dangerous. Texting is more popular here because cell phone calls are more expensive than in most other countries. That means that not only are drivers talking on their phones but some are also texting. Police say that 26 people have died on the roads and 411 were injured as a result of cell-phone use since 2002.
Telecom and Vodafone also believe that it is dangerous to use a cell phone while driving. In March this year they said it was time for the government to ban this use.
Harry Duynhoven’s plan is for a $50 fine and 25 demerit points on your driver’s licence for driving while using a cell phone. If you get 100 demerit points in a 2-year period, you lose your licence for 3 months. The public will have a chance to talk about this plan to ban cell phones while driving, and then Parliament will need to pass a law. The ban would not become law until July next year.
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