| Those of us who have ever been cut-off by a happily | | | | looking and miss other vital safety cues than those |
| chatting driver are well aware of the dangers of cell | | | | who are cell-phoneless. |
| phone use on our roads. We've all seen them, the | | | | In an effort to combat the rising number of mobile |
| drivers who weave all over the lanes with their mouths | | | | phone related accidents, many countries have started |
| engaged and their minds on their conversations and | | | | banning the use of handheld cell phones by drivers. |
| not on the road; the drivers who slow down but don't | | | | Four states in the US (Alaska, Minnesota, New Jersey |
| stop at stop streets because changing gears is too | | | | and Washington) have even taken the precaution of |
| tricky with a phone wedged between shoulder and | | | | banning texting while driving, with many other states |
| ear. We know that they are an absolute menace, but | | | | expected to follow suit. Studies have in fact shown |
| when our phones ring during the morning commute or | | | | that texting is more distracting, and more dangerous, |
| on long distance treks, we invariably reach for it | | | | than simply talking on a cell phone. The chances of a |
| because, well, we're in control, and while other drivers | | | | texter having an accident are between 2.3% and 8.3% |
| are bad, we are not. It's the fallacy of invincibility that | | | | higher than drivers not using their phones in any way. |
| ails all teenagers, drunk drivers, and now, mobile phone | | | | Presumably this means that all devices that require the |
| users. | | | | depression of buttons while driving are distracting, even |
| A 2006 study by the University of Utah, USA, found | | | | GPS, iPods and Mp3s, and doesn't bode well for new |
| that people who used their mobile phones while driving | | | | developments such as in-car computing and TVs. |
| (handheld or hands-free) were more likely to have an | | | | The ban on handheld telephonic devices while driving |
| accident and drive recklessly than drunk drivers. They | | | | has several groups of people up in arms. Aside from |
| found that it's not so much the act of holding a phone | | | | the cell phone users who think that they are perfectly |
| that causes accidents, but the concentration involved in | | | | capable of doing two things at once, many experts |
| a conversation where half the party is not in the car | | | | believe that the ban should be extended to cover |
| that is the real danger. When conversing with a | | | | hands-free devices. Jonathan Adkins of the Governors |
| passenger, drivers are more likely to pay attention to | | | | Highway Safety Association in Washington says that |
| their surroundings and what's going on on the road | | | | talking on a phone while driving taxes the driver's |
| around them, and should their attention wander, | | | | cognitive skills at the expense of road safety. This is |
| passengers are quick to call their attention back to the | | | | especially true if the conversation revolves around |
| road. When talking to people via cell phone, however, | | | | important or stressful matters as so often happens |
| drivers focus more on the dynamics of the | | | | with busy professionals. |
| conversation and get lost in the world that is created | | | | While people love their cell phones and aren't willing to |
| between the two parties during the course of the | | | | give them up for anything (some people are willing to |
| conversation. | | | | leave their homes without their wallets or keys, but not |
| These drivers are more likely to react more slowly to | | | | their phones) there is a growing movement to create |
| situations on the road, which means that they are | | | | cell phone-free zones. France, Germany, Denmark, the |
| prone to rear-ending drivers in front of them, as well as | | | | US and Finland have created phone-free train |
| veering between lanes and generally causing traffic | | | | compartments called "zen zones" or "quiet cars" for |
| congestion. The evidence extends to pedestrians. | | | | those who can no longer stand the constant refrain of |
| People walking and talking at the same time are more | | | | ring tones and the noisy chatter of fellow commuters. |
| likely to step in front of cars, cross busy roads without | | | | |