Respectfully, statistics provided by whom?

To say that there is a correlation between the influences of a mind altering chemical like alcohol and talking while driving is assinine.

There is NO logic to that rationale. The same could be said for having your spouse or child in the car with you. In no conceivable fashion are the two things the same.

I will personally GUARANTEE you that given the choice between a DRUNK DRIVER whose WHOLE decision making process is slowed or impaired by a margin of at least 60-70% and someone talking on their phone which is signifigantly and obviously LESS...I will take the phone talker 9 billion times faster than the drunk.

Now HONESTLY say you disagree...let's be REALISTIC here.

The statistics are and have been for a few years: Cell phone use while driving (not including texting) are almost the same as driving under the influence. Texting is a whole different ball game: simply put ---- deadly and you or one of your own kids or grandkids might be run over by a texter and not even know it.
The truly sad statistics are that even with a "no hands" cell phone the chance of an accident is not much different than hands on cell use.
It's got to do with the brain and dividing attention at given times, for "imperfect humans."
We know people are dying all over the U.S. from cell phone users and it's not just young drivers. The numbers are in and are massively higher than picking up a cigarette off the floor, eating a hot dog at the same time as driving, even though they are not acceptable either.
I talk on the cell phone a lot while driving, or did, but whenever I am in a sticky situation I just say: "hold on a sec" and we just wait till I am through the intersection but I occasionally have close calls due to the """Focus Division."" Divided focus is right up there ahead of the line when it comes to accidents. Believe me, if you run over someone's little kid in a stroller or anyone period, and if you are a rather rational, humble person ------ you will be as bad off mentally as the mother of that kid in the stroller 5 -- 10 15 years down the road. It doesn't go away. Soooo what is the solution?
Pass the law, keep the law, obey the law. You may be the one who is squashed like a bug or in a wheel chair for life.
Sorry for the bluntness, however it's usually the know it all's who never never make a mistake in their own minds who eventually have the accident and then try to blame the kid on the bicycle for not getting out of your way.
There is a comical side to this when no one is hurt. Occasionally someone who has just run a red light and gets T-boned by someone with a green light, gets out and tells the green lighter:" Why don't you watch where you're going?"
Interesting factor: In Japan an accident is both faults no matter what and the result is there are almost no accidents and they drive crazy wild. Maybe that's something we should onsider so the one with the right of way will slow down also and look out for each other.

Sir, this has NOTHING to do with "distraction" so much as it does granting a small town gov't wanting to be big more power of intrusion into yours and my lives without PROBABLY CAUSE. This is but one more way to subvert the Constitution and reduce individual liberty. Perhaps what would be more prudent would be to begin investigations into corruption, fraud, waste, govt intimidation, overuse of power, neglect of responsibility and general misrepresentation of the people...which seems to be RAMPANT in most forms of govt these days. Politicians are encouraged to remember that they are elected to see that OUR VOICES are the ones making the choices...NOT THEIRS. Hence the term REPRESENTATIVE...

I agree with you 100%. The city council needs to reconsider this ordinance completely and figure out a better way to deal with texting rather that banning cell phone use. Where is the data to back up cell phone use and accidents? Kudos to the council members that voted agaist it and I personally am disappointed in the ones who voted for it.