Ford supports Rep. McCarthy bill to ban hand-held cell phone use while driving nationwide

Detroit-based Ford Motor Co. endorsed a measure Monday introduced by New York Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D) to ban texting while driving nationwide.

More than 30 states have some form of limit on cellphone use in automobiles, and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has been encouraging other states to follow suit. But McCarthy introduced a bill last month to ban the use of hand-held phones behind the wheel at the federal level, which Ford Vice President of Government Affairs Pete Lawson said Monday was a good idea.
 
“Ford endorses Rep. McCarthy's legislation because it represents a practical, commonsense approach to a national problem," Lawson said in a statement. "Distracted driving is an important issue, and that's why Ford became the first automaker to support proposed legislation banning hand-held texting while driving in 2009 and why we are proud to support Rep. McCarthy's legislation that will ban using hand-held devices while driving.

"Research conducted in labs and on roads shows that activity drawing drivers' eyes away from the road — whether text messaging, manually dialing a cell phone, or reading maps — substantially increases the risk of an accident or near misses," Lawson continued. "Ford believes hands-free, voice-activated technology significantly reduces that risk by allowing drivers to keep their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.”

The company supported a 2009 effort by Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) to tie a percentage of federal highway money to states adopting texting-while-driving bans.

LaHood recently touted the success of a pilot program that gave federal financial assistance to local police departments in Hartford, Conn., and Syracuse, N.Y., to increase enforcement of distracted driving laws.

—This post was clarified at 3:33 p.m.

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