Inexperienced drivers should be barred from using cell phones, even those with hands-free devices, when behind the wheel, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recently recommended. According to government figures, drivers under the age of 20 account for around seven percent of motorists, but are involved in 14 percent of fatal accidents. The Associated Press reported that Maine and New Jersey have passed laws that prohibit drivers with learner’s permits from using cell phones while driving. The NTSB said it would like the other 48 states to adopt similar laws, but cannot mandate the change. Recent studies have linked cell phone use with highway accidents. A study last year by Harvard University’s Center for Risk Analysis found that drivers talking on cell phones were responsible for 2,600 fatalities, or six percent of all U.S. auto accidents each year.
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