Two Thirds of Americans Want Cell Phones Outlawed While Driving

[Woodmonkey]

Two Thirds of Americans Want Cell Phones Outlawed While Driving

Nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults think their state should pass a law making it illegal to use a cell phone while driving.

So says a new survey from the University of Michigan’s department of communication studies. The survey included 849 adults aged 18 and older.

Nearly seven in 10 participants owned a cell phone. More than 80 percent of those people said their cell phone has simplified their lives.

Survey participants were generally not too keen on cell phone use while driving. But a recent government survey shows that many drivers are chatting on the phone anyway.

Cell Phone Use While Driving Ups Crash Risk

No Chatting Behind the Wheel?

The University of Michigan’s survey included this question: “Do you think your state government should, or should not pass a law making it illegal to use a cellular phone while driving?”

Almost two-thirds of participants -- 65 percent -- said yes. Another 29 percent said no. The remaining 6 percent said they didn’t know or refused to answer.

Another question asked if police officers should note drivers’ cell phone use on accident reports. More than eight in 10 participants said yes; 8 percent said no; and 6 percent said they didn’t know or refused to answer.

Participants also rated how strongly they agreed or disagreed with this statement: “A cell phone is a major safety hazard when people use it while driving.” Eighty-three percent agreed or strongly agreed.

Young Cell Phone Users Drive Like the Elderly

Generation Gap

The survey’s youngest participants -- those 18-27 years old -- had slightly different views.

“In this group, fewer people think that it is dangerous to use a cell phone while driving (74 percent compared with 80 percent to 90 percent in other groups),” the report states.

The youngest age group -- which the report calls “Generation Y” -- was also the group least bothered by people using cell phones in public. The report notes that “only 33 percent of Generation Yers agreed that cell phone use in public is irritating to others, when the proportion was 56 percent to 80 percent in other groups.”

The participants were selected from a random sample of landline telephone households in the continental U.S. Interviews were conducted by telephone at home in the evenings or on weekends in March 2005.

The report notes that the University of Michigan’s department of communication studies was endowed by an alumnus who helped found a wireless telecommunications network in rural America.

U.S. Drivers Distracted Behind the Wheel

More Than 900,000 Chatting Drivers

In 2005, there were “974,000 vehicles on the road at any given daylight moment being driven by someone on a hand-held phone,” states a report posted on the web site of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The study notes that “driver cell phone use increased in 2005, with 6 percent of drivers on hand-held phones in 2005 nationwide compared to 5 percent in 2004.”

Drivers’ headset use also increased in 2005, from 0.4 percent of drivers in 2004 to 0.7 percent in 2005, states the NHTSA’s study.

The NHTSA report was based on researchers’ observations of motorists stopped at randomly selected stop signs or stoplights nationwide from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Even Hands-Free Cell Phones Reduce Driving Ability

Putting the Brakes on Drivers’ Distractions

Elsewhere on its web site, the NHTSA notes that “the data are insufficient to quantify crashes caused by cell phone use specifically, but NHTSA estimates that driver distraction from all sources contributes to 25 percent of all police-reported traffic crashes.”

“The primary responsibility of the driver is to operate a motor vehicle safely,” states the NHTSA.

“The task of driving requires full attention and focus. Cell phone use can distract drivers from this task, risking harm to themselves and others. Therefore, the safest course of action is to refrain from using a cell phone while driving,” notes the NHTSA.

The Source

[KBay84]

Yeah....BS. If it wasn't for a cell phone, I'd never had made the funeral yesterday on time.

People needing directions...changes at work...things forgotten...emergencies.

Either you can drive a car and do one or two other things at the same time, or you don't need to be driving. I know people who don't listen to the radio, have cell phones and don't like conversation while driving, and they can barely manage THAT simple task.

I think we need more driving tests and less writtens. That will take the mentally challenged and the elderly who are truely dangerous behind the wheel OFF the streets.

[Snowden]

Originally Posted by KBay84

Yeah....BS. If it wasn't for a cell phone, I'd never had made the funeral yesterday on time.

People needing directions...changes at work...things forgotten...emergencies.

Either you can drive a car and do one or two other things at the same time, or you don't need to be driving. I know people who don't listen to the radio, have cell phones and don't like conversation while driving, and they can barely manage THAT simple task.

I think we need more driving tests and less writtens. That will take the mentally challenged and the elderly who are truely dangerous behind the wheel OFF the streets.

The need, I believe, is for hands-off phones for those who need them. They can be a tool and a necessary one at that. But driving and holding a phone at the same time is dangerous. Even with the hands-off equipment one has to dial, which means taking his/her eyes off the road - and that tiny bit of time in doing that can be dangerous in itself, as we have ample evidence of in the cell-phone-related accidents we know of.

[KBay84]

ehhhh....I disagree with you on that. Just like the reloading sequince with pistols where you look at the target and hold the gun up and swap out mags, I look at the road, hold up the phone and glance at the dial pad. Zero danger.
It is the people who become totally disconnected with the road who are the danger. Kids, DVD players, cell phones combined ARE a dangerous combo.

[Woodmonkey]

Originally Posted by KBay84

Yeah....BS. If it wasn't for a cell phone, I'd never had made the funeral yesterday on time.

People needing directions...changes at work...things forgotten...emergencies.

Those are all reasons why cell phones are good things.

Either you can drive a car and do one or two other things at the same time, or you don't need to be driving. I know people who don't listen to the radio, have cell phones and don't like conversation while driving, and they can barely manage THAT simple task.

I think we need more driving tests and less writtens. That will take the mentally challenged and the elderly who are truely dangerous behind the wheel OFF the streets.

Yes, there are other more dangerous things that should be dealt with first.

[USA11B]

Originally Posted by Snowden

The need, I believe, is for hands-off phones for those who need them. They can be a tool and a necessary one at that. But driving and holding a phone at the same time is dangerous. Even with the hands-off equipment one has to dial, which means taking his/her eyes off the road - and that tiny bit of time in doing that can be dangerous in itself, as we have ample evidence of in the cell-phone-related accidents we know of.

I bought one on sale for $1.00, just out of curiosity. It works well, wife and I both use it.