Study of cell-phone bansjust doesn't cut it

A new study out today irresponsibly suggests that laws banning cell phone use while driving have zero effect on the number of crashes on our nation’s roadways.

At this early stage in our work against distracted driving, no one should be discouraging strong nationwide efforts to make our roadways safer. When it comes to distracted driving, we are only at the starting gate.

Unfortunately, a study released by the Highway Loss Data Institute casts doubt on the reality of this epidemic. Not explaining likely reasons for the surprising data encourages people to wrongly conclude that talking on cell phones while driving is not dangerous!

Nothing could be further from the truth. Just ask Jennifer Smith and the founding board members of FocusDriven, who all lost loved ones in crashes caused by cell phone drivers. Ask Shelli Ralls, who lost her son Chance Wayne Wilcox on March 22, 2008. Ask any one of the hundreds of people who have poured out their stories of loss on Oprah, on websites, in blogs and newspapers around the country.

As Larry Copeland reports in USA Today:

"The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and auto club AAA said the study's implications were unclear. Both also said the findings should not be interpreted to suggest that banning texting while driving would be ineffective."

And if you need to see the evidence, please visit www.distraction.gov our one-stop resource for information about this deadly epidemic. Once you’re convinced, I hope you’ll join our effort and find ways to get involved.

Look, a University of Utah study shows that using a cell phone while driving can be just as dangerous and deadly as driving drunk.

And we know that by enacting and enforcing tough laws, states have reduced the number of crashes leading to injuries and fatalities.  We know that high visibility campaigns and enforcement, like Click It or Ticket and Drunk Driving: Over The Limit--Under Arrest have had a positive influence on driver behavior. 

That’s why seat belt use is at an all time high of 84 percent and drunk driving is declining. These improvements didn’t happen overnight. It took strong laws, enforcement, education and personal responsibility to bring us where we are today, and still there is more work to do.

If anything, the study suggests we need even tougher protections. Adrian Lund, president of both the HLDI and IIHS, said, "Drivers in jurisdictions with such bans may be switching to hands-free phones because no U.S. state currently bans all drivers from using such phones." But, he wisely cautions, "We know that people talking hands-free are really not much safer than people talking on handhelds."

And, as National Safety Council President Janet Froetscher said:

"HLDI findings support the need for a total ban on cell phone use while driving. There is a common misconception that hands-free is safer when the research tells us hands-free is just as dangerous as handheld. To accurately measure the reduction of crashes, it’s going to take states or municipalities passing legislation banning handheld and hands-free devices. And it's going to take effective law enforcement."

She's exactly right. Studies of cognitive distraction tell us that it's not about where your hands are, but where your head is.

And it's about where the enforcement is.

And it's also about where the public education is. The HLDI media release accompanying their study notes that, in North Carolina, teen hand-held phone use didn't decline in response to a ban because teens didn't think the law was being enforced.

Now, if we can get the drivers who may not be worried about the law to see the safety consequences of their behavior--as we have been able to do with decades of drunk driving and seat belt education--we can indeed make our roadways safer.

Comments

[ДСП]

Lumpin all crashes into one report shows a less then respectful behavior toward the public and is reckless with respect to treating a life and death problem.

This is exactly what this report is about. Misrepresentation

[Junk Car Recycling]

In the study called: "FATAL DISTRACTION? A COMPARISON OF THE CELL-PHONE DRIVER AND THE DRUNK DRIVER" (Which MANY Pro-Ban supporters LOVE to quote as some kind of bible scripture without ever reading it)

The data of the study was adjusted to reflect socially accepted results (... in other words they cleverly hid some REALLY IMPORTANT information ... HERE IS THE FULL VERSION ) On page 10 the study notes; "... this is the third in a series of studies that we have conducted evaluating the effects of cell phone use on driving using the carfollowing procedure (see also Strayer & Drews, 2004; and Strayer et al., 2003). Across these three studies, 120 participants performed in both baseline and cell phone conditions. Two of the participants in our studies were involved in an accident in baseline conditions, whereas 10 participants were involved in an accident when they were conversing on a cell phone." However zero (0) drunk drivers had accidents in any of the tests. Which means if you believe that this study PROVED cell phones are as dangerous as driving drunk you must then admit it also PROVED it is safer to drive drunk than it is to drive sober.

Think I'm crazy? Well maybe you should read their explanation as to WHY they think the drunk drivers performed better: "One factor that may have contributed to the absence of accidents in the alcohol condition of our study is that the alcohol and driving portion of the study was conducted during the daytime (between 9:00 a.m. and noon)." ... Really? That's the best explination they could offer?

The fact of the matter is this was a VERY POORLY done study FILLED with bias and questionable methods. (ie - The constant mention of increased crash rates while in fact crash rates are down, only 40 people in the study, some never owned a cell phone, only some of those cell phone users ever used the phone while drving, it was done in a simulator, they were asked to talk to a research assistant, only 1 baseline test and 1 drunk drving test against 3 cell tests, and the list goes on and on and on ... )

[FullTilt]

oh my god, what a horror picture !

[ДСП]

I'll never forget the young male driver on the Oprah Winfrey show who killed someone while texting and driving saying that no-one had ever told it was dangerous. That is why driver education is important - there are too many drivers who simply don't know enough.

[FullTilt]

What a horror picture... oh my god

[Dallas Listing Agent]

There are already laws in place that cover this type of DISTRACTED DRIVING. Steps should be taken to enforce that laws that are already on the books and to prosecute the offenders not saddle us with additional ineffective laws.

[holdem]

wow, what a picture !!

[Silvia Wharfside]

Yes, distracted driving is just one aspect. But others fall in line with the driver and passenger getting into heated arguments, whether it's because Dad took the wrong exit or Dad suffered a fatal heart attack while driving to Atlantic City with Mom. Too many people have lost their lives this way and had nothing to do with using a cell phone, putting on make up, or even taking a sip of that freshly brewed aroma of your morning coffee or favorite beverage. buckle up, stay alert and taking safety breaks, and please do not drink ALCOHOL or use DRUGS while operating a motor vehicle. Have a safe Holiday to my friend JOE in the Kensington Court section of Elkton, Maryland this weekend and forever.

[rca ieftin]

Problem is the following. Until you reach the edge of the cliff not interested in people. People have come and know how the photo is. If you ask them sure I agree with banning cell phones while driving. I really need to get everyone there that we care?

[israel travel]

the fact that law doesn't prevent people from using their cell-phones while driving doesn't make the law useless. But this reality, which exists in several other domains of daily life, shows rather the necessity of better education, than to efficiency of enforcing certain behaviours through laws.

[pokerplus]

I don't see how a hands free conversation is different from one with an other pessenger in the same car. Let's be honest. Forbidding the talking in the car is not going to happen. The car isn't a spaceship. So this must be the best solution. Use it.

[predictii pariuri]

hi, a study by University of Utah show: the ability of people to operate a motor vehicle and talk on a cell phone at the same time confirms that no one can perform both tasks without impairing safety.

[create a free blog]

The California law looks like it has been successful in its first full year. But rarely now, you can still see someone driving along and holding a cell phone talking. But before the law came in, everyone was doing it and many people were making dumb mistakes while they were doing it. So there is little doubt that the California law has gone along way in changing how drivers act behind the wheel.

[PDA]

Thanks for your post. It is really dangerous to use phones while driving.

[Monster Trucks]

It really feels bad that after many efforts from government and DOT still accident counts due to texting or calling have not decreased. There are still many drivers who do not follow ban on cells while driving rule. I think government should take some very strict action against those drivers only fine of $1250 is not enough for those irresponsible drivers.

[Kitchen Aid Pasta Attachment]

It has less to do with the action talking on the phone, but it's the "content" of the phone conversation that distracts the drivers and make it dangerous.

[Boulder chiropractor]

I am seeing an increase in the number of motor vehicle accidents that walk into our practice that are 'suspected' of involving a driver texting on the phone. This is frightening as we are entering an age where our children are starting out with phones and the poplulation will soon all have cell phones and cars...yikes (maybe a time to revamp drivers ed in the schools?)!!

[Cell Phones]

There seems to be a lot of controversy betweeen hands free or no hands free. The reality is that there are about a thousand things that can distract us while driving. Among cell phones there are numerous other things that will turn any good driver into a bad driver. So you never know what will happen on the road. Therefore, I think it would be important for every driver to mentally lock in their minds before driving to be completley focused because once you get out on the road the risks of dying or taking a life/lives is more than you think.

[painkiller]

If you are a gooddriver, then you arecomfortable with your vehicle inall situations and areable tohandle unexpected situationscooly.

[Irs Ein]

Because of accidents like this I think it is just a matter of time before the legal system catches up with cell phones. Although cell phones get a bad rap it is still the responsibility of the driver to pay attention to the road while driving. I am all for technology like blue tooth devices that at the very least keep the drivers hand free from the phone and hopefully keep them from texting and dialing when they should be paying attention to the road.

[Calita Irsein]

I think just about everyone realizes that text messaging while driving should not be acceptable.

[Amy Hu Ein]

Prevention is better than cure as they say so it better follow some regulations and advice specially using your phone while driving a car is prohibited because you may not pay attention on the road anymore.

[Joshua Bonagofsky]

Yea but i believe everybody is missing the whole picture and concept. The law was passed on the grounds of it being unsafe and to promote better driving habits. According to NHTSA 18% of the annual deaths caused by car accidents are cell phone related. The annual deaths caused by car accidents are estimated at 6,400 for 2009 (NHTSA). Obviously the law was passed to prevent deaths as they promote safety and concerns for thier fellow citizens. If you ban only one distracted driving such as cell phones, and there are; radios, passengers, kids, ipods, navigation system, laptops, tvs, eating and even drinking that are even more distracting that cause more accidents then that of cell phones. Passing One law will not solve the problem when the problem is still there. Or is safety and concern really just a cover up. Example: Tobacco brings in about 15 million in revenue for the goverment (taxpolicycenter.com). It also yields about 550,000 deaths just in the U.S. alone (deathstatistics.com). That is alot more than 18% of the 6400 deaths by cell phone related car accidents. If it is all about safety and concern, then why have they not banned Tobacco and alcohol. To make it more believable 92% of the U.S. population has a wireless device (CTIA.org). To make a law that will effect just about everyone is dramatic and key to money they make. Its pretty much genius on thier part especially how bad their in debt. California is pretty much bankrupt and its getting worse. Now really is it about safety RaylaHood?

[Joshua Bonagofsky]

Futhermore, I just want to say by no means am i implementing that cell phones are not distracting. I more less trying to say that the issue is alot bigger than just safety and concern; and drastic oprah shows!

[DauAnunturi]

That picture is so self speaking about what can happen` while you are using the phone.