This is a good start, but I don't think anyone should use cell phones while driving. It's a matter of protecting the lives of people.

In this case I would have to agree with this attempt but I would also say it should not just be kids but EVERYONE. If you want to talk pull over and talk, if you think you can multitask and talk and drive at the same time you are wrong, you just have not had anything happen yet and count yourself lucky. I am a huge fan of cellular communication but I drive a motorcycle as well as a large truck and I cannot tell you how many times I have seen a driver pull up to a red light talking on the phone and then look right at me with solid eye contact and turn right directly into the path of my vehicle. I don't think most people can talk and make a speed/distance judgment at the same time much less connect the oncoming car/truck/motorcycle as a moving object about to hit them.

Try as they might, you can not legislate common sense. Never.

What next....open cell phone laws? Cellphone not placed in locked container? Rather than passing new laws...how bout they pass a bill of legislation than forces police to enforce the laws we currently have. A big one is inattentive driving. That would cover anyone using a cellphone...but wouldnt single out a specific group. And as Sigma pointed out...It's a lot easier for a police officer to cite someone for the behavior of vehicle vs. trying to prove someone was indeed using a phone vs. combing their hair, scratching ear, etc...

More government intrusion into people's everyday lives.

Young drivers also dont know that you should lie to the cops about what caused the accident to avoid a higher priced ticket. Even though its illegal (obstructing justice) no right minded person admits to something as dumb as talking on the phone as a cause for an accident... of course it was a small animal that ran out in front of you. If there are statistics showing younger drivers are more more dangerous this is probably why. They arent more dangerous they are more gullible to the police.

vnvet7071 - No. but when im having a conversation on my phone in my car i am not looking down away from the road....it only takes fraction of a second, and as fast as I drive likely faster.

In addition, how bout young drivers that now use bluetooth...or hands free texting. Many new cars come with phone wired into the ecu of a car...so would these kids be facing fines...ones that never touched a phone...never hit a button....never took their eyes off the road?

How bout all the other distracting things people do including:putting on makeup, feeding their kids,scolding thier kids, turning around to check on their kids, reading the paper, shaving (yes I've seen this commuting to milwaukee), switching cd's, watching tv, looking at maps, smoking, eating, drinking any sort of beverage, etc... All are distractions...all have caused accidents. Sigma is right...all this law is, is a way to narrow in on public perspective on cellphones and young drivers. I'm sure the only statistical data that was used was adding the percentage of young drivers and number of cellphone users together than have been in accidents vs using the number of young cellphone users (accidents attributed to cell phone use in young drivers) that have been in accidents. Theres a big difference between the 2. Young drivers face lots of distractions...but in the end have to learn to drive somehow. It is up to the PARENTS to instill good driving behaviors in their kids taking the privlage away when adequete. I'm sure that if they passed a law that said drivers over 60 couldnt drive after dark...and drivers over 70 couldnt drive at all...there would be far less accidents than those stopped from this dumb cellphone law, however, even with statistical evidence, the public perspective on driving would frown upon this...even deamonize me for suggesting it.

Sigma, ever have a conversation with a heater control ? It's not the hand movement we are worried about, it's the concentration !

I would say that if an officer sees a person with a phone to their head while driving, pull them over & give them a ticket for inattentive diving. Phones block your peripheral vision. Just use the laws that we have in place.

This will be a law that the police will not be able to enforce because they have to catch the offender in the act. That is going to be hard to do.

If using a cell phone is made illegal, then why not CB radios? Most the users of those operate very heavy trucks even more deadly. Also radios, heater controls, and rear view mirrors. Next we can black out the side windows and put cow blinders on people so they can only see in front of them.

So why not make it illegal for everyone? Not sure why they are targeting just "inexperienced" and young drivers. Daily, I see people all over the road who don't fit into those categories. As usual, Wisconsin will be one of the last states to make something illegal that would save lives.

I hope that eventually all drivers will be prohibited from using cellphones while driving. Disregard the first post.

Excellent. It is a start. Hopefully they can expand this in the future to include more cell phone users.

Another reactive law that will be very difficult to enforce.

Thank you State of Wisconsin government for protecting me from myself.

Dumb. Nice of the state to target an age group that has no feet to stand on in court. A sure new money maker and the roads just got 0% safer.