Driving and Talking on a Cell Phone is Dangerous
Is diving while talking on a cell phone more dangerous than driving drunk? Anyone familiar with MythBusters will know that their tests said that it is (at least while driving at the legal limit). But in “typical MythBusters fashion” their sample was too small. What do real studies have to say about this?
The professional studies back it up too. A recent University of Toronto study found that drivers talking on cell phones are four to five times as likely to get into accidents, and that hands-free sets do little to decrease these odds. A study from Perth, Australia found the same increase in risk. Another study from the University of Utah also found that hands-free sets do little to offset the chances of an accident. These are just some of the many studies done that all come to the same conclusion, driving while talking is hazardous.
Continue reading...There is a clear danger from driving while talking on a cell phone, arguably as great as or greater than from driving drunk. What is being done about it? A handful of states have totally outlawed it: New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and Washington DC, as well as a few towns. A few more have partial bans, and as many as 2/3 have proposed legislation at some point.
What I want to know is where is the outrage? Driving with a cell phone is clearly dangerous, but nothing like the crackdown against drunk driving is happening. Why? My best guess is that not enough people have died yet, and cell phones aren’t as good of a scapegoat as alcohol. There are no groups like MADD spreading anti-cell phone propaganda, and not enough people are putting pressure on lawmakers.
There’s also no cultural stigma against it, evidenced by how many people do it. If you think about, the quintuple increase in chance of an accident combined with the number of people doing it means that you’re probably far more likely to be in a phone-related accident than an alcohol-related one. Why is no one outraged?
Driving while talking is dangerous, without a doubt. So do something about it, even if it means refusing to talk while you’re in a car. You might just save a life.
The professional studies back it up too. A recent University of Toronto study found that drivers talking on cell phones are four to five times as likely to get into accidents, and that hands-free sets do little to decrease these odds. A study from Perth, Australia found the same increase in risk. Another study from the University of Utah also found that hands-free sets do little to offset the chances of an accident. These are just some of the many studies done that all come to the same conclusion, driving while talking is hazardous.
Continue reading...There is a clear danger from driving while talking on a cell phone, arguably as great as or greater than from driving drunk. What is being done about it? A handful of states have totally outlawed it: New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and Washington DC, as well as a few towns. A few more have partial bans, and as many as 2/3 have proposed legislation at some point.
What I want to know is where is the outrage? Driving with a cell phone is clearly dangerous, but nothing like the crackdown against drunk driving is happening. Why? My best guess is that not enough people have died yet, and cell phones aren’t as good of a scapegoat as alcohol. There are no groups like MADD spreading anti-cell phone propaganda, and not enough people are putting pressure on lawmakers.
There’s also no cultural stigma against it, evidenced by how many people do it. If you think about, the quintuple increase in chance of an accident combined with the number of people doing it means that you’re probably far more likely to be in a phone-related accident than an alcohol-related one. Why is no one outraged?
Driving while talking is dangerous, without a doubt. So do something about it, even if it means refusing to talk while you’re in a car. You might just save a life.
Labels: cell phone, driving, science
posted at
8/25/2006 09:56:00 AM
Measured Against Reality Feed
8 Comments:
...driving while talking is hazardous... Driving while talking is dangerous, without a doubt....
Has anyone compared these figures with the rate of accidents due to drivers talking to real live physically-present passengers? Given the latter are prone to distracting behaviors such as body language and facial expressions, they might be even more of a risk factor.
By
Anonymous, at 5:39 PM, August 28, 2006
I haven't seen any comparisons between the two. No doubt that there are other things that are also distracting, but it seems that phones are particularly bad.
By
Stupac2, at 5:45 PM, August 28, 2006
When driving with a passenger, the passenger can pause the conversation according to the traffic. When talking on a cell phone, the person on the other end continutes to talk, and forces the driver to listen, even when the traffic gets particularly tricky.
By
Anonymous, at 10:57 AM, November 16, 2007
There is one extremely important point I have yet to see. What people don't get is that there is a psychological disconnection while on a cell phone at the wheel. Most think it is the same as speaking with a passenger when in reality it is nothing alike. People become disoriented and connected with what's going on at the other end of the line . This is where the danger comes in. Many are no longer in proper connection with the control of their immediate situation because they are wrapped up in that of one many miles away.
As for the idiot who posted that: "I find driving and talking on the phone to be enjoyable." Well...Thanks for your concern while endangering the rest of us! Notice how most cell phone users are driving alone? That's because they are both lonely and passengers wouldn't tolerate their dangerous behavior.
By
Anonymous, at 8:28 PM, December 03, 2007
This is a wonderful site. The things mentioned are unanimous and needs to be appreciated by everyone.
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Health Nwes, at 5:29 AM, February 01, 2011
no really??? if you don't notice it I beem sarcastic with this expression, but of course that talk with your cell phone while you drive is dangerous, everybody know this.
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Viagra Online, at 9:21 AM, April 26, 2011
"Driving and Talking on a Cell Phone is Dangerous" of course, but anyone care abut it, I think it is one of the most important causes of car accidents in the world!
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