Video: NTSB recommends nationwide driver cell phone ban

>>> growing controversy over the ntsb 's urging that all 50 states and d.c. ban the use of mobile devices behind the wheel, even those hands- free cell phone devices. the dramatic relevant dags comes after recent rash of deaths attributed to distracted drivers. nearly 3,100 deaths last year alone. but some say the proposed ban is too much. it won't stop people from using their phones. oim joined by john walsh . thanks for your time. where do you and your organization stand on this?

>> certainly on the tesking front, we're in total lockstep with the ntsb . and have been for about three years. we looked at texting, we thought about it and looksing at the activity. eyes off the road, hands off the heel. that's not conducive to safe driving. so we support the ban. 35 states right now that have texting bans already in place. on the other side of that equation is the handheld versus the hands-free debate. that has been raging. we think it is appropriate in this case to defer to state lawmakers, local lawmakers. what do their constituents, our customers, what do they want? one city might be different than another. one state might be different than another. let's step out of the way and let them decide.

>> why do you belief it would vary from state to state to city to city ? it only takes one person to be distracted. for example, the investigation or the incident that the ntsb cited was in missouri in a small rural area . the one you're looking at here where a 15-year-old lost his life. that's not the busy streets of manhattan. that's in a rural small area.

>> absolutely right. and one case like that or any other case is obviously, horrific. what happened in this case is absolutely a tragedy. but i think to try to put one set of beliefs on what people in wyoming or montana or iowa or colorado might think versus somebody in missouri or florida or new york should be left to those particular populations. the ntsb has talked about that. taking it state to state . we think that makes a lot of sense and let them decide for themselves what is most appropriate. the one thing we've been supportive of is education. we've had public service campaigns for almost 12 years now. been very active with this. we have a partnership with the national safety council and tv and radio. so we think technology has a plarks legislation has a place but education is really at the top of that pyramid.

>> going back to what up, a seventh beliefs from city to city or state to state . you could ask some people about seatbelts and they would make the argument that they should have the choice of whether to wear seatbelts. i can't till how many times someone said in the '70s, my mom and dad would put us in the back and we were just fine. times change, circumstances change and now we have more people than ever before on the phone and even, for example, with hands-free devices, people stop to dial the number. i mean, it is not completely hands-free or a complete lack of distraction just because you're not holding the phone.

>> right.

>> again, is it presumptuous of us to tell consumers in this case, how to use the device? certainly you want to provide them with great service. that's the ultimate goal of the industry, and we do that. we could do that with a lot more spectrum coming our way, we hope soon. but at the same time to dictate what laws should be or to mandate what laws should be, we think is not the position of the industry. not the place of the industry. instead, to step back and respect what people think and the individual locations. and certainly defer to that.

>> a lot of food for thought . thank you so much. i appreciate you joining me.

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/newsnation/45672945/

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