Debate: Are cell phones dangerous? I do not believe that cell phones in and of themselves are dangerous; it’s the people using them irresponsibly who pose the biggest threat. Cell phones do not turn themselves on. They do not play games by themselves. They do not text or make phone calls by themselves. They do not slide out of our pockets of their own free will as we cross streets or wait by train platforms or are stopped at a traffic light. It is the person wielding the device who can be dangerous, not the device itself. It is unfair to say that cell phones are the problem when there are plenty of people out there who can use them responsibly. Cell phones offer more positives to society than negatives. Labeling cell phones as “dangerous” and banning their use on train platforms or while driving could actually be riskier in the long run. For example, if a cell phone ban is in effect and a person driving on the freeway sees a suspected drunk driver, should the driver flaunt the ban to call the police and report the drunk driver? The answer is clearly yes, because the driver talking on the cell phone is less dangerous to society than the drunk driver. However, some drivers might be resistant to call the police in that scenario because they could get in trouble themselves. If you want to argue that cell phones are dangerous because talking on a cell phone or texting while driving causes accidents, you would also have to acknowledge the fact that every type of distracted driving is dangerous. Studies have shown that it isn’t the act of holding the cell phone to your ear that causes accidents, but the fact that talking on a cell phone draws focus away from what you’re supposed to be doing: driving. Commuters who are putting on makeup, brushing their hair, eating their breakfast, or rocking out to loud music in their cars are just as dangerous as drivers who are talking on cell phones. If you really wanted to limit the number of accidents, you would need to ban all of these activities. However, a ban on distracted driving wouldn’t be enforceable, so a much easier solution would be to educate new drivers. There should be a section added to every state’s driver education manual about the dangers of distracted driving. That way, we could cut down on cell phone-related accidents without banning the use of cell phones altogether. Yes, cell phones have become a huge part of society, and some people may have a problem with their prevalence, but we can’t ignore the amazing positives that go along with their invention. Cell phones save lives: people can use them to quickly phone paramedics for help—or even to learn how to perform first aid in an emergency. We are fortunate enough to be around for incredible technological advances that are made to help us, not harm us. Cell phones are not dangerous, but the people using them can be, so we need to make a concerted effort to educate people about responsible cell phone usage.