Leslie Crocker Snyder is the only candidate for Manhattan district attorney who supports legislation banning drivers from using cell phones of any kind, unless there's an emergency.

"I would like to see them banned entirely except for emergency purposes," Snyder told the Daily News in a recent interview.

"What I've noticed is that people get tremendously distracted," she explained. "You only have to take a taxi to be convinced of how distracted (drivers) are. I can't tell you how many times the cab doesn't take the right block cause they're talking...."

"I think it causes accidents," she said. "I would like to see emergency use only."

Snyder's opponents, Richard Aborn and Cy Vance Jr., disagree.

Vance said, "I think we ought to be having hands-free (phones). To me, hands-free use seems an appropriate way to deal with cell phones."

Aborn said he agreed with Vance's stance.

"If there's data out there that I'm not aware of, which is showing some significant problem, I would certainly reconsider that," he said.

In New York, all drivers are prohibited from talking on handheld cell phones while driving. But some advocates, including Transportation Alternatives, the nonprofit group, support banning phones altogether, other than emergencies.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/brawlforthehall/2009/09/snyder-champion...