Legislation Would Ban Cell Phones While Driving
LOU WATERS, CNN ANCHOR: Something that's become a staple for many of us while we're on the read is a cell phone. Chances are you have chatted it up while behind the wheel, but don't be surprised if you're forced to put down that cell phone one of these days. For more, let's check in with CNN's Jeanne Meserve in Washington -- Jeanne.</s>JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Lou, some of us of a certain vintage, anyway, remember the old Doors tune, "Keep your eyes on the road and hands upon the wheel." Well, too many drivers have their hands on a cell phone and that has some lawmakers in Washington worried. Two Democrats today introduced legislation to ban dialing while driving. Some states are already moving in that direction. This would make it national policy and, if passed, states who didn't follow suit would be denied federal highway dollars if they didn't enforce it.</s>REP. GARY ACKERMAN (D), NEW YORK: We step up the ante each year that they don't do it. It's free the first two years. They get a pass to enact the legislation, decide which way they want to go. Different states can do it differently, and then they get the 5 percent hit after two years and then 10 percent on each year.</s>MESERVE: Distracted drivers are not the only concern. Consumer worries have prompted new calls for more research into the possible side effects of radiation emitted by cell phones.</s>REP. EDWARD MARKEY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: When millions of Americans put this phone up next to their ear, even if only for brief periods of time, there are millions of them that wonder whether or not they may be hurting their own health or their children's health. And when 110 million Americans are using cell phones, it doesn't take a very large error in terms of identification of the adverse medical consequences to have an epidemic-size problem.</s>MESERVE: A General Accounting Office report released today called for standardized testing to determine possible health risk, and to make that data more readily available to the consumers. The FDA says there is no specific information that shows cell phones pose a health risk, but Lou, there is also not enough information to rule it out. Back to you.</s>WATERS: All right, Jeanne Meserve.