Last week, the National Transportation and Safety Board proposed a national ban on all cell phone usage by drivers. That means no texting or phone calls — even with hands-free devices — at all times while driving, except for in emergency situations.
The recommendation has sparked debate and controversy, but a new poll suggests that more Americans might be in favor of such a drastic measure than we would assume.
Poll Position reports that Americans support the NTSB’s recommendation by a 49 percent to 44 percent margin.
When results are broken down by age, those aged 65 and older most favor the suggested ban, with 60 percent supporting it and 33 percent opposed. However, most other age groups were nearly divided with close results in favor and opposition.
The only age group that had a majority in opposition of the ban were those between the ages of 30 to 44, with 50.2 percent who opposed. Yet 46.8 percent of 18 to 29-year-olds favored the ban while 41.4 percent opposed it. (Approximately 11.7 percent abstained.)
Opinions on the proposed safety measure also didn’t vary much by political affiliation. Democrats supported the ban the most at 55 percent, followed by Republicans at 50 percent, and Independents at 48 percent.
The survey, conducted by telephone on December 15, is based on responses from 1,133 registered voters nationwide.
How do you feel about a nationwide ban on drivers using cell phones, even with hands-free devices?
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