Cell phones are devils in disguise Published Oct. 8, 2010 By Timothy S. Waage 86th Security Forces Squadron RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany -- Cell phones have become an integral part of our day-to-day functioning. Its Monday morning and the clock's ticking before you get to the office. There are countless things to be done. Your child needs to be dropped off at school, the appointment with the dentist has to be rescheduled and you can't forget to call your supervisor to inform him that you're going to be late! At crunch time, the cell phone becomes your angel in disguise but these technologically advanced devices are devils in disguise. Often we find ourselves asking others not to use cell phones while driving. But how many times do we follow it ourselves? Of course we have justifications, it was an emergency, it was my boss calling, it was an unknown number, so on and so forth. Cell phones have become a necessity for people throughout the world. The technically advanced phones not only perform the work of making and receiving calls but also store important data, images and contacts. The GPS-enabled phones become our navigators, while we are on the move. Take a moment and think, at what cost are we using these devices while driving? At the risk of our lives, we are multi-tasking, outsourcing work or catching up with friends. Honestly, life is too precious to be risked for such silly reasons. A study was conducted in the US which shows that a driver is at a four time higher risk of colliding with other vehicles when he/she is talking and driving. 'Hands free' is an excuse for talking and driving, but it is not safe either. Listening to a fellow passenger, radio, or CDs are much easier and less taxing for the brain as it does not ask the brain to respond. Talking and driving has a greater risk as it demands the brain to think more than what it is already busy doing. This obviously diverts the attention exposing the driver to the likelihood of accidents. The police records too show that a majority of accidents have been as a result of cell phone usage while driving. Inattentive driving not only puts your life at risk, but also that of the passengers and the person you may collide with. The bargain is unreasonable if you are thinking of multitasking and saving your time while driving. It doesn't matter if you reach someplace a little late, what really matters is that you've made it safely there! If all of this doesn't get your attention, maybe this will, pursuant to USAFE Instruction 31-202 and 86 AWI 31-201, a mandatory 7-day driving suspension will administered for "texting" or using a computer or cell phone while operating a POV. Subsequent violations will result in an additional 7-day suspension (example: second offense 14-day suspension). Do the right thing, concentrate on driving and arrive at your destination safely.