Crash Risk is Four Times Higher When Drivers Use Cell Phones, Study Says

July 12, 2005

  • July 12, 2005 at 7:59 am
    Funkie says:
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    It’s time that our legislatures get responsible and prohibit cell phone use while driving.

  • July 12, 2005 at 2:29 am
    Tom Cannon says:
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    I have difficulty accepting these findings as presented. The fact is I can accept that when people are dialing or tying to text message there is an increase in potential for accidents, however just talking on the phone does not present any more probability than talking to someone in the car. I think this is all about acertaining the activity, specifically at the time of accident.
    How many times do you see drivers with cell phone in one hand, coffee or cigarette in the other, or mothers looking/talking to children in the back seat. I am all for safer drivers, but let’s be certain we understand the facts.

  • July 12, 2005 at 2:57 am
    Post says:
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    I agree with Tom.
    I am surprised that some of these individuals that have been in accidents haven’t tried to sue (or maybe they have) the cell phone companies for “causing them to wreck”. Kind of like the people that sue because the coffee that was sold to them was hot and burnt them….etc.

  • July 13, 2005 at 3:54 am
    Jim says:
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    Some people can’t drive…period!!!

    Although cell phones are a distraction…more importantly, the driver is unable to put both hands on the wheel. There should be a ban on hand-held cell phone driving. I think hands-free headsets are kind of acceptable, afterall, they are much of a distraction as playing with the stereo or dealing with crying kids in the backseat (unless we ban them too).

  • July 12, 2005 at 3:54 am
    Steve says:
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    Hmmm- thanks for the idea to sue the cell phone makers: where is my attorney’s number- just kidding.

    Really though, I could see how cell phone use is different from other distractions in the car, aside from just the dialing. For instance, I find myself concentrating more on a cell phone conversation, one because I cannot see the person I am talking with and two because it is so hard to hear on my phone (car background noise, plus I don’t have Verizon) versus someone sitting next to me in a car.

    Maybe my experience is the outlier. Or maybe the conversations I am having are not that exciting.

  • July 12, 2005 at 4:02 am
    Dilbert says:
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    I would love to see a study of the crash rates between hands-free cell phones versus onstar, which is truly hands-free. I think half the problem is as mentioned below, dialing and text msging. Once I am on the phone, I have no problem paying attention to my driving. Dialing or looking up a number on my cell, is definitely something I should not be doing while I am driving…..

  • July 12, 2005 at 4:18 am
    Pedestrian says:
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    As a pedestrian, I have become increasingly aware of drivers on cell phones when I am crossing an intersection. It is truly astonishing to see how many are absent-mindedly making turns while talking and holding onto the cell phone. Something has to give — I don’t believe they can keep track of the call, the car and pedestrians all at the same time.

  • July 12, 2005 at 5:25 am
    Jarana says:
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    I am not suprised by the findings – I have had numerous near misses with people driving and talking on cell phones, even hands free. These people are concentrating on their conversation not on what is going on around them. Not everyone is good at multi-tasking as evident by the study.

  • July 13, 2005 at 7:00 am
    TOM says:
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    I am always amaized at the finding of these type of surveys. What I have come to realize is that figures don’t lie, just that liers figure. With the rise in cell phone use I really don’t hear about the rise in the number of accidents. If 25% of accidents today involve cell phones, why is there not an over all 25% increase in the number of accident. What we hear is that the
    total number of accidents are down. To me this makes such a study bogus. The result was decided before the study began. There fore, why spend money on the study.

  • July 13, 2005 at 8:09 am
    ATS says:
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    While Steve mentioned a good point (you concentrate more on a phone call), he missed some others.

    When having a conversaation in a car, the passenger will usually stop talking when the drive is changing lanes, negotiating an intersection, etc. Even on a highway, the risk isn’t evenly distributed across time, but is focussed rather tightly on a few events.

    Moreover, when talking to a passenger, there are usually two pairs of eyes on the road. Even without direct warnings from the passenger (“watch out for that car”), there’s subliminal information. When they slow their conversation because they are watching the road, you automatically follow suit, even if you hadn’ noticed anything particularly threatening.



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