Cell phone subscribership in the United States has grown
dramatically in recent years, from 92,000 people in 1985 to more
than 77 million in 1999. A recent National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration survey reports that 44 percent of drivers
have a cell phone with them while driving, a number that will
only increase with the proliferation of phone ownership. We
calculated that car accidents associated with phone use account
for about 300 deaths per year. While small in comparison to the
41,000 annual deaths from car accidents, these deaths raise the
question whether cell phone use while driving is justifiable. We
think a ban is unwise at this time because vehicular cell phone
use provides substantial personal and societal benefits, but
does not contribute to a large number of serious accidents. Cell
phones in cars make life more convenient and safe: People can
coordinate their errands and schedules with friends and family,
parents can check up on their children, stranded motorists can
call a tow truck or g