New York: Talking on the phone while driving is now illegal. Long overdue or that sucks?

Is this for any conversation on the phone? If so, that's overbroad...as there's no reason to fine people for driving with a hands-free device or for using their speakerphone.

Driving in this country is a serious undertaking as can be seen in the country's driving fatality rate. It has far surpassed death cause by Airplain cashed, train wrecks and mishaps. It is even higher than the killed in combat rates of the wars this country has fought, including Viet Nam, which holds the highest fatality rate of all other wars of recent history. World wars are not included for obvious reasons.

Average number of deaths on Nam per year during the conflict from 1965 to 1973 was 6,478, while the average fatality rate for the United States in traffic accidents was 2732 per month in 2009 and 2010, for a yearly total of 32,788.

If your mind is not totally on the road when you are driving, it can easily mean that your body can end up in a Hospital or Cemetery. Take it from a pro-driver (30 years long haul), with 42 years of accident free driving; Stay within the speed limit, and be courtious to other drivers, Being late for something, if that is the problem, is not worth your life.

And I'm as guilty as anyone.

It seems like the individuals who are on the phone, and especially texting, are drivers who have the least amount of experience behind the wheel.

Welcome to another police state. Next, when you can use the bathroom and reproduce.

About time. People need to get used to the idea that you're on the road to drive to your destination, not maintain your social calendar. If there is need to talk on the phone, there are always ample spots where you can pull over and take care of business.

Not all phone talking bothers me. Sometimes it's brief message, direction clarification, etc., and short. Hands-free phones wouldn't bother me. But texting? Never, ever, ever would I approve texting to be legal. Never. I've got idiot relatives who do it all the time and it disgusts me that they think they're accident-proof.

Passengers are capable of seeing dangers ahead and usually watch out for traffic anyway, just as a normal practice. Telephone passengers can't see a thing from the driver's perspective.

Although I wouldn't totally recommend it, talking on a hands-free phone doesn't stress me too much. But texting? You cannot imagine in your wildest dreams how much that infuriates me. The penalty for texting should be 100 times whatever just talking on the phone costs. To me, that is an honest to goodness danger to everybody on the road.

Wow, that's idiocy at its best, now, isn't it?

(Unless she was stalled and texting car help.)

To me talking on the phone is no different that talking with a passenger. However some people will slow down 10 to 15 MPH lower than the speed limit. This endangers their lives and those around them.

"Hang Up and Drive" by Ray Stevens

I see too many people wagging across lanes of traffic, or not paying attention because they're on the phone.... bust'em!

I wish we didn't need to make laws for absolutely everything that said commonsense dictates this one.

Driving and talking is wrong. What sucks is more big government. What next males must have a counter attached so thay don't shake more than the government regulation. Fines up to 50 dollars per bathroom visit. If they really wanted it stopped suspend service. Not turn it into a money maker and take away choices. New Yorkers are losing their....

Needed evil. People just aren't that good of drivers to be distracted.

Especially the texting!

Amateur Radio operators and the military and the police have been talking mobile for years. And do not leave out the truckers. It is the idiots that text while driving that should be censured.

Holding the phone, dialing and texting are bad because they make your eyes leave the road and cause accidents and deaths. But with an earpiece and voice commands, I see no problem with just talking, as one would converse with a passenger.

It should be illegal in all states.

I don't even like to use a blutooth device while driving.It distracts me.

I'm sure it wont stop, but I bet they'll be more cautious when driving and gabbing on the cell phone.

It's dangerouse to talk on the phone while driving as it is a distraction and could cause an accident.

Now that's a reasonable law. Not banning soda that's just plain ridiculous.

This is one of the few areas of government intrusion I agree with. I don't give fat rat's ass if you drive yourself over a cliff in your selfish distraction. I care deeply about your passengers and the other folks sharing the roadway with you, and less important, the material roadway itself that taxpayers paid for and maintain for your safety. Driving requires your full attention but not for YOUR sake, for everyone else's.

MASSIVE fines In Australia for this, you can't even pull over with you car running and talk you have to have the car turned off. We had a friend killed about 6 yrs ago from being in the phone while driving.

I like it

It's illegal to smoke in cars with kids too

It really distracts. When I drive I can recall any mile I was driving. But when I pick the phone in the car is there no memory of anything what had to do with traffic during the time of the call. Thats for me alarming enough, NO phone when driving.

What is so important that you are willing to risk not only your life, but the lives of others who happen to be traveling on the same road as you. Hang up the damn phone and DRIVE.

How about those that use hands free devices? I have one. Works great and doesn't keep me from watching the road. No phone in my hand while driving. And I can't even text while walking, never mind while trying to DRIVE.

Saving lives...don't talk or text while driving

Good idea. Hope it saves some lives. I have never done that, in fact I hardly ever use my cell phone.

It has been illegal to use a mobile phone while driving in the YK for a few years now. The accident rate on the roads has dropped as a result though some idiots still do it. Following a car that weaves and changes speed used to mean the driver was probably drunk but now they are more likely to be chatting or texting on the phone. If they could see how badly it affects their ability to drive it would be quite a wake up call for them.

Talking and texting while driving is the act of an ignorant selfish fool who has no regard for their own safety or the safety of others.

We have had that law in England for years, but people still do it and like any driving law, it is hard to catch people.....don't know if it has saved any lives, although they will tell you it has......

They've been illegal in Chicago for several years, ditto the suburb next to me.

We all survived for years without cell phones and should still be able to.

many times i have come upon a green traffic light and had to blow my horn to let the driver in front know that they were sitting thru a green light while yaking on the phone