Cell ban for young drivers is a cop out
Posted on January 29th, 2008 in links, politics, rants, society, transportation, vancouver |
The Province is endorsing a suggestion by the government to add “talking on a cell phone” to the already long list of restrictions new driver’s face as part of the graduated licencing program. While the evidence is quite clear that talking on a phone while driving is quite dangerous, why is the proposal to apply only to new drivers?
The suggestion is completely discriminatory - but not only to the young people that are typically associated with the graduated licencing program. BC is home, especially in the Lower Mainland, to a large number of immigrants from Asia and India, many of whom face the licencing program, either for a transfer of their current licence, or to receive certification for a whole new one.
The graduated licencing program, as is stated quite clearly on ICBC’s website is “one of the strictest in the world.” A new driver faces a series of prohibitional restrictions for the course of three years before they are treated as equals in front of the courts and on the roads. Get a speeding ticket 5 months into your N? Well, too bad, you’ve been booted back to the beginning on your timeframe and will have to start the 18 month prohibition all over again.
Adding “talking to your cell phone” onto the list is just one step too far. Young people revolted against the province’s Graduation Portfolio for several years, prompting Shirley Bond to rehaul the program in 2006. I don’t think it’s too far fetched to see these same youth disregard the restriction and continue to talk or text on their cells.
Furthermore, while it is true that a large market of the cell phone industry is young people, what about all the soccer moms and business people who blab on their phones behind the wheel?
Many areas around the world have placed complete bans on talking on a cell phone, including Japan, the U.K., Australia, France, California, and New York City.
If we really want to improve the safety of all road users, don’t limit such a ban to young people and new immigrants by placing it as a restriction to the graduated licencing program - make it an all out ban for all BC drivers.
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10 Responses
I actually happen to think that the graduated licencing system is totally stupid. You cannot transfer, for example, a Mexican driver’s license. However, Vancouver drivers are still some of the worse in the world (I can tell you that in an anecdotal form, as I’ve driven in many, many, many cities in the world, including Mexico City!).
*sigh*
HI, some subjective trivia from my the 90’s when I learned to drive and only needed 3 months (if my memory serves me correct) with a learner’s permit when I was 16 until you had a full license.
Out of all my friends only I didn’t have a “new driver” type inexperience related accident(ie: skidding in leaves, adjusting stereo knobs, rushed left turns)!
Also, Raul you could look into an international driving license perhaps?
Can’t agree.
Look at it this way: if you’ve been driving for 20 years, you’re just more practiced and can take a left-hand turn while shifting, with coffee cup and cell phone in hand. Graduated licensing lets younger drivers build up experience until they get to that second-nature stage.
Talking on cellphones while driving should be banned for everyone. You can site all the anecdotal evidence you want, but every study I can find suggests that talking on a cellphone while driving increases your rate of accidents, by as much as 4 times. Note, that’s for everyone, not just young drivers. See Driving and Dialing from CBC.
I never have figured out how the enlightened ones who run the Province’s editorial board come up with these ideas. But when you’re a bunch of conservative old men, young kids make for an easy target.
If we’re going to ban cell-use while driving, then it should be done across-the-board and not just for new drivers.
Amyloo:
Studies have shown that talking on a cell while driving is akin to drinking and driving. If we follow your argument, then maybe “more practised drivers” have built up enough experience to be allowed to drink and drive as well.
I like the point Raul brought up. Vancouver has terrible drivers according to many. Obviously, the government should take some reaction to the problem, but is the solution tougher enforcement on new drivers? Shouldn’t there be equal restrictions and added regulations on current drivers - especially those who have been pulled over for some reason or another?
I think EVERY DRIVER in Vancouver should be asked to re-take their test every couple of years.
I also think that no license should be transferrable. You American and want to drive in Canada? Get your Canadian license. You Chinese and want to drive in Canada? Get your Canadian license. You Mexican and want to drive in Canada? Get your Canadian license…. and so on and so forth.
Banning transferability across countries sounds better to me than allowing every country to be transferred. :D
And restrictions on every driver, rather than just on new drivers.
I still have 6 or so months left in my L portion of the program, and let me tell you, I wouldn’t attempt talking/texting and driving at this point. It’s hard enough to concentrate on many of the stupid vancouver drivers as is before adding the difficulty of holding a conversation and concentrating on the road.
I also think the program in general is stupid. 3 years to get a license, it’s outrageous. I think ICBC should follow the rules many other countries use rather than hurting everyone with 3 years of limitations.
I have friends from New Zealand and the states who have their drivers permit (L) for 3-6 months before taking a road test, if they pass they receive their license, if they fail then they have to wait a couple weeks before they can re-test.
Raul makes a great point that no license should be transferable. I also think that people should be re-tested every 5-10 years or so on their driving abilities. it would make vancouver much better to drive in. Assuming most people get their license at 16 and fully complete the licensing program by age 20, they are not required to re-test until age 80, that’s 60 years to pick up terrible driving habits.
Anyways, I’m getting off topic and into a whole rant, I was so annoyed while writing this that I probably didn’t make sense in parts. If they’re going to ban cellphones for teens or new drivers, they may as well ban all cellphone use in cars.
Hi Paul, just read your article on cell phones and driving. I agree with you. My wife asked me to point out that Newfoundland is the only province that has a law in place to ban them. And who said the Newfies are stupid! Mike
Here is how see it. Young people are least likely to vote, so they are an easy target. This shows that something is being done, with no fear of backlash from a group being affected.