Houston, Texas is known for its horrible traffic problems. They have become worse with the introduction of the popular cell phone. With this major distraction, people are more liable to get in accidents, which in turn causes traffic to build up. Cell phone users talk and text focusing more on their conversations rather than on the more important road that they are driving on. To alleviate this problem, the use of mobile phones without a hands-free device should be banned.
According to INRIX, the leading provider of traffic and navigation services, Houston ranks number six nationally as the top congested metros with Los Angeles and New York City ranking first and second (National Traffic Scorecard). With this much traffic congestion, driving on Interstate forty-five is almost like conducting the Houston Symphony, with all the lane-changes and stops associated with driving to and from downtown Houston. “The Houston Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) covers 10,062 square miles…[which] contains more people than Minnesota, which ranks 21st among the states in population” (Houston Statistics). With that many people and this much congestion, there is a question of safety while driving inside the city.
Although there have been precautions started due to this new generation of cell phone users, it should be a city wide law. The fact that in school zones where posted, cell phone use is prohibited is a big step forward. The worse accidents do not happen in school zones, they happen on busy intersections and highways. A current fine of $200 is instated if violating this law in marked school zones. These zones are very important to pay attention to with children playing around those areas, but why should we stop there? Are there less children playing in the neighborhoods that we cannot ban them in residential areas? While it is important to pay attention to the areas congested with children, it is important to pay attention to traffic in general with a highly populated city.
While it is very important that Houston has a city-wide ban of mobile device usage while driving, they will not be the first to do so. There have been many states that have already passed legislature to get rid of this problem, among them is: California, Hawaii, Washington, and the District of Columbia. One state for example, Hawaii, started the law which states cell phone users must have a hands-free device to use while driving.