Hand-held cell phone driving ban in effect Published Nov. 17, 2006 By Senior Airman Lauren Hasinger 90th Space Wing Public Affairs F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo. -- In an effort to make driving on base safer, hand-held cell phone use while driving on all Department of Defense installations was banned in July. Lately, the 90th Security Forces Squadron reports a spike in usage by drivers. Drivers cannot use cell phones when driving without a hands-free device, said Staff Sgt. Ronald Hale, 90th SFS NCOIC of police services and community policing. He emphasized a phone on speaker held up to the driver's mouth is not hand's free. The cell phone needs to be out of plain sight, he said. While there have been no reports of any accidents at Warren involving cell phone use, they are difficult to track, said Mike Woods, 90th Space Wing Ground Safety manager. "If you have an accident because you've been yapping on your cell phone, the first thing you're going to do is shut your cell phone off," Mr. Woods said. In recent years cell phone use while driving has become a problem on a nation-wide scale. The DoD-directed ban mimics those in several states and counties. Wyoming and Laramie County do not have such bans. Nonetheless, the moment a car enters Warren the driver must either switch to a hands-free device or stop using the phone all together. "Studies have shown it has the same distractive quality of being under the influence," said Tony Janssen, 90th Space Wing traffic safety manager, adding that a driver's reaction time is significantly slowed when talking on a cell phone. "Inattentive driving is probably the biggest cause of accidents," Mr. Woods said. "You don't need any more distractions like talking on a cell phone while driving." Security forces members will pull over anyone talking on a cell phone regardless of military or civilian status, and give a citation. The member's first sergeant, or, in the case of civilians, their unit commander, will be notified. Every violator will have three points against their on-base driving record. A driver's on-base driving privileges are suspended after 12 points in a 12-month period or 18 points in 24 month. The only person who has the ability to get rid of distractions is the driver, Mr. Woods said.