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