On Tuesday, Dec. 13, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced a recommendation to ban all cell-phone use nationwide while operating a motorized vehicle.

The recommendation was inspired due to a fatal accident on Aug 5, 2010, in Grey Summit, MO. A driver, who was believed to be texting at the time, caused an accident involving his car and two school buses. Two people died from the accident: the driver and a student on one of the buses.

This ban would not only include prohibiting text messaging and email, but also phone calls.

In 2010, an estimated 3,092 accidents were linked to distractions, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSB).

The recommendation would also include the use of hands-free devices; however, devices installed by the manufacturer would be permitted according to the NTSB.

Steven Amos, senior, agrees with the NTSB recommendation.

“All of those handheld devices pose a threat to everyone else on the road,” Amos said. “People are distracted; they are not paying attention to other drivers and what’s on the road in front of them.”

Leah Young, senior, disagrees with the NTSB ruling.

“We can make our own decisions,” Young said. “You can’t take away the right to talk whenever we want to, even if it’s while driving.”