Council to Study Ban on Using Phones in Cars

The City Council on Wednesday unanimously agreed to study a proposal to ban the use of cellular phones by motorists, but members voiced sharp differences over whether such a law stood any chance of approval.

The proposal was offered by City Councilman Paul Rosenstein, who said distracted drivers using cell phones are endangering pedestrians and other motorists. “I’ve almost been run down a couple of times by drivers holding cell phones,” he said. At a council meeting Tuesday, Rosenstein asked city staff to study the legality of such a ban.

Some council members poked fun at the idea. “We might have to ban passengers in cars,” said Councilman Kevin McKeown. “I often engage them in conversation when driving and they could also be considered a distraction.”

Councilman Robert Holbrook joked that heavy traffic conditions sometimes demanded some kind of distraction. “Driving six miles an hour on the Santa Monica Freeway is an excellent time to make calls, because I have nothing else to do but follow the bumper in front of me.” Despite these comments, several residents urged the council to consider a ban.

“I think using a cell phone while driving is as dangerous as drunk driving,” said Anita Phillips. “I want to see them absolutely outlawed.”