| Mobile phone use in motor vehicles has | | | | motor vehicle. In light of the ongoing |
| increased at a remarkable rate over the past | | | | research for, and by, the National Highway |
| 15 years. Yet it is undeniable that utilizing | | | | Traffic Safety Administration ( we should at |
| a cell phone while driving can affect driver | | | | least consider their policy on using cell |
| performance as it relates to the overall safe | | | | phones while driving that states "The primary |
| operation of a vehicle. There are a number of | | | | responsibility of the driver is to operate a |
| things to consider in deciding whether the | | | | motor vehicle safely. The task of driving |
| trade off in convenience is worth the | | | | requires full attention and focus. Cell phone |
| potential risks associated with the | | | | use can distract drivers from this task, |
| distraction created by a cell phone. Given | | | | risking harm to themselves and others. |
| the fact that the individual driver (and/or | | | | Therefore, the safest course of action is to |
| business owner) ultimately pays for the | | | | refrain from using a cell phone while |
| resulting consequences associated with an | | | | driving." |
| auto or truck accident (financial, emotional | | | | |
| and physical lose); it is prudent to seek out | | | | Source: Cellular Telecommunications & |
| relevant and reliable information in making a | | | | Internet Association (CTIA) |
| decision. In doing so, consider the source, | | | | |
| as well as the possible motivation behind the | | | | According to the CTIA, there are currently |
| information provider. | | | | more than 218 million subscribed cell phone |
| | | | users as of August 2006 (compared to some 4.3 |
| Source: US Legislation | | | | million in 1990). Based on the extraordinary |
| | | | growth of cellular phone industry and the |
| In the United States, there are currently no | | | | CTIA's advisory role, it may be of value to |
| federal laws prohibiting driving while using | | | | think about their point of view on this |
| a cell phone. In an earnest attempt to find a | | | | topic. In doing so, you might consider a |
| solution, some states (New Jersey, New York, | | | | document found on the CTIA's web site, |
| the District of Columbia, Connecticut and | | | | entitled "SafeDrivingTalkingPoints2" (created |
| pending in California) have passed laws | | | | June 6, 2006) that states "But for some |
| barring hand-held cell phone use while | | | | reason, legislative efforts to prevent driver |
| driving. Typical fines range from $50 to $100 | | | | distractions have been narrowly focused on |
| for drivers caught using a hand-held device. | | | | wireless phone use. According to government |
| While these lawmakers have the public's best | | | | statistics and respected research studies, |
| interest at heart by levying fines, not all | | | | this approach is well off point." Consider |
| entities weighing in on this subject are | | | | that, there are more than 220 million |
| likely to have the same incentive. | | | | vehicles on the road and a similar number of |
| | | | cell phones subscribers. Based on the amount |
| Source: Manufacturer Research | | | | of time customers might potentially spend |
| | | | using their cell phones in vehicles, we would |
| As the result of an independent study (found | | | | hope to find the CTIA an objective source. |
| on their web site in the form of a press | | | | Given the magnitude of the revenue at stake, |
| release), Plantronics, a manufacturer of | | | | is a greater degree of scrutiny in order |
| headsets states, "71% of drivers steer more | | | | here? Would the CTIA hold a different |
| accurately when using a headset with a mobile | | | | position if they were liable, in part, for |
| phone". They point out that the study was to | | | | distracted vehicle accidents? |
| discover if a person using a mobile phone | | | | |
| improves driving if he or she uses a headset. | | | | Source: Leading Universities & Independent |
| Stephen Wilcox, Ph.D., Principal of Design | | | | Researchers |
| Science (independent research firm) states, | | | | |
| "Driving with both hands on the wheel is the | | | | While there are a number of valuable studies |
| safest option for motorists who use mobile | | | | on this subject, the following are extensive |
| phones, and headsets are tools to enable that | | | | research projects provided by highly |
| improvement." Considering the source, is this | | | | accredited organizations: |
| statement characteristic of scientific | | | | |
| research? Is it objective and free of | | | | 1) Virginia Tech Transportation Institute |
| marketing bias? Could it confuse individuals | | | | researchers and the National Highway Traffic |
| into thinking that cell phones are safe as | | | | Safety Administration (NHTSA) tracked 100 |
| long as you are hands-free? Additionally, | | | | cars and their drivers for a year; they |
| found toward the end of the press release, is | | | | discovered that talking on cell phones caused |
| a comment by a senior director of product | | | | more crashes, near-crashes and other |
| marketing. Beth Johnson states, "It's | | | | incidents than other distractions (100-Car |
| important to keep in mind that our study is | | | | Naturalistic Driving Study, April 2006). |
| not intended to address the issue of whether | | | | |
| or not it is safe to talk on a mobile phone | | | | 2) University of Utah researchers determined |
| while driving, but rather what type of | | | | that motorists on the blood-alcohol threshold |
| technology is safest for drivers to use while | | | | of being legally drunk were able to drive |
| talking on their mobile phones". They also | | | | better than sober cell phone using drivers. A |
| state their intent is to "educate drivers on | | | | key researcher and author in this field, |
| options for using mobile phones comfortably | | | | Psychology Professor David Strayer notes, |
| and responsibly while driving". Given that | | | | "Just like you put yourself and other people |
| the goal is safety education, is this | | | | at risk when you drive drunk, you put |
| research responsibly comprehensive to | | | | yourself and others at risk when you use a |
| consider it a relevant and reliable source? | | | | cell phone and drive. The level of impairment |
| | | | is very similar." Also, consider they found |
| Surely, as you go about your own assessment | | | | motorists to be more accident-prone and |
| the idea of freeing up both hands to control | | | | slower to react when talking on cellular |
| the steering wheel is a logical | | | | telephones. It did not matter if it was |
| consideration. If a driver focuses | | | | hands-free either because of "inattention |
| exclusively on driving the vehicle, then two | | | | blindness", a syndrome that makes a driver |
| hands on the wheel is better than one. | | | | less able to process visual information. |
| Unfortunately, this seemingly sensible | | | | |
| approach can lead to a false sense of driver | | | | 3) The George Institute for International |
| security (possibly increasing crash risk) as | | | | Health (University of Sydney, Australia), |
| noted in various reports ( by the Crash | | | | Insurance Institute for Highway Safety |
| Investigation Team at Virginia Commonwealth | | | | (Arlington, Virginia) and Injury Research |
| University Center for Public Safety. Their | | | | Centre, University of Western Australia |
| findings illustrated that the cognitive | | | | (Crawley Australia) jointly presented |
| resources required to carry on a phone | | | | research entitled "Role of mobile phones in |
| conversation are equivalent to those | | | | motor vehicle crashes resulting in hospital |
| necessary to drive. This is an important | | | | attendance: a case-crossover study". The |
| concern given VCU's history of transportation | | | | research consisted of 456 drivers aged 17 |
| safety research, as well as other studies | | | | years who owned or used mobile phones and had |
| concluding this behavior (carrying on a phone | | | | been involved in road crashes requiring |
| conversation while driving), reduces both | | | | hospital attendance between April 2002 and |
| driver reaction time and driver | | | | July 2004. They concluded that a driver who |
| attentiveness, especially as they relate to | | | | uses a mobile phone (up to 10 minutes prior |
| braking. | | | | to a crash) has a four times higher |
| | | | likelihood of crashing and an increased |
| Unlike a computer, humans have a limited | | | | likelihood of a crash resulting in injury. |
| capacity to process simultaneous information. | | | | Using a hands-free phone is not any safer. |
| If the software on your computer seems to | | | | |
| slow down, you might consider increasing the | | | | Eliminate the Risk & Keep the Benefits |
| memory or processor speed to compensate for | | | | |
| delays resulting from an overload in | | | | If you are the head of a household, a |
| computing capacity. We as humans have a | | | | guardian or the parent of a less experienced |
| similar limitation when it comes to | | | | driver, your decision to allow any in-vehicle |
| processing too much information, but unlike | | | | cell phone use carries a major emotional and |
| computers, our resources are somewhat fixed. | | | | financial risk. If you are a fleet manager or |
| Given the inherent delays in our own thought | | | | you employ individuals that conduct |
| response time when faced with increased load | | | | work-related conversations while driving, the |
| factors, is it practical or safe to hold a | | | | risk of liability for distracted accidents |
| cell phone conversation while driving a motor | | | | could fall on you. Strongly consider the |
| vehicle? | | | | legal ramifications for the careless |
| | | | operation of an employee-owned or |
| Source: Government Transportation Safety | | | | company-supplied vehicle before deciding to |
| Research | | | | ignore the inherent danger created by a major |
| | | | cognitive distraction such as a cell phone. |
| The US government employs many of the top | | | | |
| transportation safety experts and funds a | | | | Obviously, there are no easy or certain |
| major portion of the world's accident | | | | solutions without sacrifice of convenience. |
| prevention research. Given the effects | | | | Remember that the benefit of having a cell |
| traffic accidents and related congestion have | | | | phone (emergency use and times when you are |
| on US productivity, accident reduction is a | | | | not operating a vehicle) is not lost just |
| top priority. Considering that distracted | | | | because it remains off while driving. If you |
| driving accounted for at least 6.4 percent of | | | | consider the facts presented by relevant and |
| crash fatalities in 2004 (U.S. Department of | | | | reliable sources, it really is not a matter |
| Transportation), many researchers are looking | | | | of a trade off after all, but an opportunity |
| closely at the distinguishing distraction | | | | to prevent an accident or possibly a |
| caused by cell phone use in vehicles. | | | | fatality. In the mean time, until it is |
| Furthermore, of the many potential | | | | proven otherwise, think about instigating a |
| distractions in a vehicle, cell phones are | | | | life saving strategy NOW for the safe use of |
| considered equally or more dangerous than the | | | | cell phones - limit yourself, loved ones and |
| other known distractions such as eating, | | | | employees to use (personal and business) only |
| reading a map or grooming while operating a | | | | when the vehicle is in park! |