From the Desk of Janet Barclay

The Province of Ontario has just passed a law prohibiting the use of handheld cell phones or other electronic devices while driving. A radio announcer discussing this news story asked, “Will you buy a hands-free kit, or will you just hide your phone if you see a cop?”

How about just not using the phone while you’re driving? To me, that’s just common sense and it amazes me that such legislation is even necessary.

However, I know that many people consider their calls to be the most important thing in the world, even more important than their own safety and that of others. I used to ride with a woman who thought nothing of talking on her cell phone while merging lanes in heavy traffic. Scary stuff! I also met a salesperson who admitted to regularly talking to customers on her cell phone while looking up prices on her laptop, all while driving. According to her, that was the only way she could do her job. Yikes!

I’m not going to lie and say I’ve never used my cell phone while driving, but I like to think I’m sensible about it. I don’t think I’ve ever initiated or answered a call when driving on a busy road. Most calls can wait to be placed or returned when I arrive at my destination; if not (for example, I get lost on the way there), it’s worth taking a couple of minutes to pull off the road to place my call in safely. I can’t even imagine trying to text message while driving!

If your situation is different and you must handle your calls while driving, please invest in a hands-free kit, whether it’s the law where you live or not. The movie Seven Pounds may be fiction, but the dangers of multitasking while behind the wheel of a car are far too real.

Photo Credit: Alanna Stewart