The government of Trinidad and Tobago is planning to introduce an amendment to the country's motor vehicle laws to make it an offence for persons driving a vehicle to use a hand held cell phone while behind the wheel.The measure was announced Thursday by Works and Transport Minister Jack Warner.
Speaking at the post cabinet news briefing, Warner said he acknowledges that a cellular phone is a convenient device. However he said using it while driving can be potentially dangerous.
Warner said the benefit of banning the use of the phones while driving outweighs the usefulness of having the device.
Warner said a study done in Canada in 1997 showed that people who use cell phones are 18 times more susceptible to cause accidents.
He said drivers could pull over at the side of the road and talk on their cellphone when they receive a call or allow a passenger to speak on their behalf. He said another alternative to taking the call is let it go to voicemail.
The minister noted that it has now gone beyond ta,lking. "It has become even worse now that people are now text messaging while driving and all of this is what contributes to the carnage on the roads," Warner said.
Several jurisdictions in North America have banned hand-held devices while driving and have reported a decrease in accidents caused by drivers who become distracted through use of the phone while driving.
Under the proposed law, which is expected to take effect by the end of the hyear, offenders would have to pay a fine of $5,000 or go to jail for 30 days.
Warner said government would give drivers three months to equip their vehicles with the necessary handfree devices which would allow use of phones without touching the devices.
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