We do not often support a ticket sweep by the NYPD. But the crackdown on drivers talking on their cell phones is different.
These drivers are a hazard. Think how often you have gotten angry at a driver for driving too slow or making a dangerous move, only to learn the driver was yakking away on a cell phone with one hand on the wheel?
In a 24−hour period, the police handed out more than 9,000 summonses to people caught talking on their cell phones while driving. Each ticket cost $120.
This crackdown appears to have done little to change a bad habit. It is not just the talking. Drivers dial their phones and some even text message. There is no way of knowing how many accidents are caused by cell phones, but it is clear this behavior has resulted in the loss of life.
Those who cannot go two or three blocks without talking on their phones should have hands−free phones installed in their cars. Meanwhile, the police should be applauded for the crackdown on drivers using cell phones.
